Alice's Deeper Secrets
by laenamoradadeROGUE
Summary: Alice is new at the XMansion and is getting along great with Rogue. Everybody likes her, but she's more than a troubled mutant. Ocasional Romy and Kibby. Warning: mutiple languages, w translations, off course. Changed rating...
1. First things first, and try to forget

_Disclaimer:_ Even if I try to befriend Stan Lee... heck, even try to seduce Stan Lee, marry him and get him to inherit his lives fortune to me,... he will always be the creator of X-men, which means no matter how much I try, i will never own X-men :D

* * *

**Alice's Deeper Secrets**_   
_

* * *

_CH1 First thing first, and try to forget_

"I just want you to know, I still think about you all the time. Your smile on your lips and your heartwarming laugh. I hope you think of me as well" he said, just so sweetly. I leaned in to kiss him…

"Alice, rise and shine, gal!" a voice said loudly next to me. Ugh, this time I was actually having a good dream. Again, she was waking me up. We believe that if she's the only morning person in our dorm, she could just let herself out.

"Rogue, you too" she said to the other side. Now we both groaned at her. I threw my pillow at her, she just phased through it, damn powers. "What time is it anyway?" I asked, giving in.

"Seven fifteen." She stated, darn, good thing she had woken us up. I rushed to the bathroom before Marie had time to notice the time as well. While under the shower, I had time to recollect upon my dream again, I had had that one before. However, the ending never quite came. I know that we're apart now. I'm at the boarding school, and he's in Costa Rica. And we haven't really broken up, then again I don't know if I'd our relationship a boyfriend / girlfriend thing, but I know that long distance relationships never work. Besides, two months without seeing him can't hold us down, I know him and myself even better than that.

I was out of the shower a bit later; Marie was still rubbing her eyes from sleep, but went into the bathroom quickly. I went to breakfast, seizing the moment to practice my ability; I stood next to the door. Noticing everything happening inside it, I paused everything in them. I entered, Kurt was in the middle of landing near the end of the table, and Jubilee was cleaning some dishes and eating her bagel at the same time. Logan had just sniffed my presence nearby. Kitty was too busy peeling her kiwi that she hadn't noticed the prank that John was about to do on her. It was so amusing when I was able to control a lot of things.

I entered with caution, because I knew that Dr. McCoy was about to open the door towards me. However, I managed. I grabbed an apple and a bagel, and was about to sit next to where Kurt would appear instantaneously. But I decided to help Kitty a bit, I "unfroze" her for three seconds, so she finished her kiwi and started towards the table, still humming her Lindsay Lohan song, my little rescue went by unnoticed. When she was halfway through, I released the rest.

"Jesus, Alice, warn me next time, I almost left again when I saw you suddenly." Kurt exclaimed to me. "At some points, I think that you can teleport as well." He laughed at his own joke, I smiled meekly. After spreading a bit of cream cheese on the bagel, I started upstairs again. The room was so far away that it gave me time to both eat the apple and the bagel on the way.

"You know, it is amazing how much control you have." Rogue said to me as I entered, she commonly has a lot of trouble with hers, roughly translating into can't control it. She was attempting to dry her hair rather too quickly. I still had half of the bagel on my hand and offered it to her, since she wasn't going to have time to eat much after she ended.

"Thanks" she said before gulping down all of it. I continued to the bathroom. The three brushes me reminded me of the bathroom me and my sisters shared, somehow it always got me nostalgic. I noticed that my contact lenses were starting to itch, but I figured that one more day wouldn't hurt. Marie was ending the fight with her hair. I grabbed my bag and in that moment the first bell to class rang. Storm had probably already started the lecture

"Do you feel like being late?" I asked Marie.

"Not really… Has she started?"

"Not quite, I believe. I'll make her 'wait' a bit" I added. She nodded and continued with her hair. I closed my eyes and concentrated on Storm, in her class ruffling papers and thinking about Alcatraz. I paused her actions.

After watching her fight for three minutes she finally let go and grabbed her bag, "Let's go" she said to me.

"Okay. Let's go" I focused back to the real thing.

"Good god!" Bobby yelled from the open classroom. Everybody turned around quickly. Jubilee was there staring open mouthed towards Storm, who was completely frozen in her place.

"What happened to her?" Colossus and John said in unison.

"Like, I don't know. Looks weird anyway." Kitty said.

"Oh-oh," I said to Marie.

"Too much control sometimes?" she asked. I simply nodded. I closed my eyes and concentrated on her. She noticed what had happened.

"What happened?" she said unknowingly as I unfroze her.

"We're all on time? " Marie broke the uncomfortable silence. Some people looked at their watches, nope, not on time at all.

"Yep, that about sums it up" I followed Marie's lead, Storm eyed me. Yeah, I was in trouble.

Everybody was taking their seats as Storm sorted the last of her papers. Just then I thought that I didn't feel like paying attention history, nevertheless I took my things out. I noticed my phone vibrating a moment to late.

"La noche…. Candela" the very loud ring tone of Juanes started playing on my cell phone, everybody rounded at me. It was just a bit too noisy, in their opinion. I simply loved to change the ring tones according to who called me. When I realized from who it was from I froze. The song kept going. The glances turned into stares, the stares into leers.

"Alice, would you please take it outside" Storm told me, apprehensively. Although I wasn't her favorite person at the time.

"Oh, sorry, I just didn't know if I should pick that up." I articulated a bit uncomfortably. "I'm taking it outside, Mrs. Munroe." I walked out of the class and shut the door behind me.

"Alo?" I said very loudly, I somehow was sensing the storm of emotions that this conversation could ensue._ (hello?)_

"Alicia?" he said.

"Quien mas? Si fuiste vos el que me llamo," I replied _(who else? you were the one that called)_

"Si, quería decirte algo." I listened attentively on the other end of the line._ (yeah, I wanted to tell you something)_

"¿Te acuerdas de Isabella? Mira, se que te fuiste hace dos semanas, pero, ella me ha estado bueno, digamos que dando mucha atención. Te molestaría que saliera con ella? Aunque después no sirviera?" Okay, that was overwhelming. _(Remember Isabella? Look, I know you left barely two weeks ago, but she's, well, been insinuating on me. Would it bother you if I went out with her? __Even if it didn't work out?)_

"Bueno, yo misma pensé que estábamos en punto de cero desde que me fui, porque no hay mucho que hacer dado que deje mi cámara de Web. Aun así, no me molesta. Pero después cuéntame todos los detalles. Adiós, debería de estar en clases." I hung up and scrutinized the phone. Little brat, I thought out loud. I threw the phone. This turned out to be a bad idea. It went directly towards a wall from which none other than Wolverine was coming from. This was me being pretty stupid. I quickly walked over to it and picked up the phone. I smiled meekly at my superior before heading again to class. _(Well, I thought that we left it off when I left, there ain't much to do since I left my webcam. But fill me in later. Bye, I actually should be in classes right now)_

I entered the classroom silently, I considered pausing all of them so they wouldn't notice me enter, but I think Storm didn't appreciate such a thing right now. Marie gave me that look; she definitely wanted to know what was going on.

"I'll explain later." I said in less than a whisper. She eyed me curiously and looked toward the window, as I, not keen on actually tuning in to the lecture.

I zoned out and started thinking. I never really considered him my boyfriend, I mean, we had hung out for quite a while, but he's a free man, as am I, as far as I'm concerned. I knew that this was just usual, this was going to happen, I don't regret it nor plan to think it over too much, if anything, he just showed me how to stand up to myself, and not think too much of guys.

_You probably think that I_

_Hold resentment for you, but no, no,_

_Oh, no, you're wrong_

_If it wasn't for all that you tried to do._

_I wouldn't know just how gave up all_

_Our answer will prove._

_So I want to say thank you._

_Cause it makes me that much stronger._

_-Christina Aguilera_

"So, what was that all about?" Marie asked after we finished the class and had a small break before the next class, Biology with Dr. McCoy, to which we both went together. Some people took Advanced Physics with Storm, using the Proffessor's old lesson plans as he was recovering (of course,in my story Moira already contacted and he is at the institute, but taking it slow ;)

"Oh, well, Julian called; he was saying some bullshit about telling me before he dated someone else. Geez, he really believes that we had something and that I'm gullible enough for that." I always felt bad of telling her of my love life, due to her powers she couldn't touch anyone. "But, that was it. Not much problem." Deep inside, I knew that I didn't love him, maybe I had been infatuated and interested in him. And we did have make out sessions every once in a while, but nothing major ever happened.

"Oh, okay, fairly well, then let's go, we're gonna be late for Biology." She said.

"Ya vamos requete tarde" I replied forgetting she wouldn't quite get it. _(We're already late)_

"Something with late and going?" She gave a puzzled look.

"Yeah, that's progress, Marie." I smiled at her and lent on her shoulder in a friendly way. She shuddered a bit, but just a bit. She's always scared, even though she was wearing long sleeves and gloves that only left her wrist skin exposed. (yes, she has her powers back)

"Let's go. Vos tenés que relajarte" I told her, on purpose. _(You have to relax)_

"Hey! I understood that," we continued walking "and how do you expect me to be laid back with all the careless people around here, such as my dear friend?"

She gave me that look again. I apologized quickly before pushing the door to enter. I looked around, there were two seats available near the center right of the room, and I signaled Marie to join me there. The teacher arrived and greeted the whole class.

"Good morning, everybody. It is a very pleasant morning indeed, so today I was thinking of doing our session outside." As soon as he had entered he was leaving. I gathered my stuff again and followed suit.

"Can anybody refresh my memory on the five general characteristics of plants?" Two or four hands rose up in the air, mine included. At least I thought I remembered. But he chose Marie to answer the question.

He congratulated Marie, she had since she arrived been a good student. Or so she told me, I was glad, cuz I'm also sort of a bookworm and love to learn, so much of the time we share we are also studying. Anyways, I was glad she recalled.

"Alicia, what are the differences between photosynthesis and respiration?" I responded non chalantly.

"Photosynthesis happens during daylight, sun energy being its fundamental component, and produces glucose as well as energy, that gives the plant all its necessary nutrients. Respiration, on the other hand, consumes energy and occurs during the night, only for full grown plants, so seedlings don't perform respiration." I answered. He nodded fervently on my adequate response and gave me full marks.

As we walked through the backyard / small forest he either assigned or spoke out general questions about the processes of trees, it was more of a review session, really. I zoned out after answering a few, wondering why I hadn't considered taking a spot near here to be my thinking space, it's so serene and has a remote air to it.

Soon enough, the bell rang. We walked back inside, afterwards Marie and I made it out on our own. Marie kept looking at the floor.

"Is something wrong? What is it?" I didn't know why I was even asking the first question, something was definitely wrong.

"Nothing, just that for a moment I thought I had touched you" she said. I strongly believed I would've felt that.

"I didn't feel anything."

"I didn't touch you. But for a moment I thought I did, trying to get your attention when you are so lost in thought is pretty difficult at some times," she exclaimed.

"Rogue, nothing happened." She shook a bit.

"Anyway, would it be so bad for you to know what a great person I think you are?" I smiled. She smiled back confidently.

"You're right, sugah. But what Ah found out your other secret by accident?" She said it jokingly. But my mind immediately went back to that terrible night. I clenched my hand, my nails digging into my palm, for the memory to go away, but she didn't notice since I kept a straight face.

"Well, then, you'd find out there isn't any other secret." I answered trying to seem untroubled. Then again, I wouldn't like for her to have my complex thinking system into her already crowded thoughts.

The bell rang and we left our lockers in separate direction, she had physics while I had this weird class that Kurt was giving, sometimes we did spiritual stuff, other times we talked about current events. It was nice, and today was no exception. But I don't feel like going into that.

After stealing one of John's (yeah, I'm placing him back at the institute for the sake of my story) private beef jerkies (make that a few) we got together and bummed at bench in the grounds. We weren't talking, just swimming in our minds, in that comfortable silence that the two of us share. I thought back to the terrible days back at the private school in Costa Rica.

_-Do you even realize how crazy you seem?- Miguel said, again, he just loved saying that to._

_-I know, I'm crazy, got a problem? I can live with it, can't see why you can't- I mocked back at him. Fighting back the desire to kick his ass Deep inside, I know I am different, if they want to label it crazy so be it._

_-Fuck it, you truly are mental._

_-Whatever. - _And the rant went on. He was sincere, I understood that. But he said that I was crazy just because he can't understand me and is in a way upset by who I am, I personally appreciate when he tells me that my hair look like a bad with a headband or when I'm in wrath asks me why and I constantly lie back. He may be honest, but only to his own benefit. Many people hated him; I personally pitied his incapacity to look beyond people's surface. The fact that I my personality didn't just click with anybody around the small place didn't appeal to my peers, all of them being either preppies or punks. I can perfectly stand beside them for a whole school day listening to their rant and still live on, it's called tolerance. Was it too much to ask that they returned the favor? So it seemed to them. Miguel was a different thing, he realizes my façade, but he still seeks to pull that beneath me and I don't want to give in, or lose out, not by fear of exposure, but exclusion. He was one of the few that looked beneath me, hoping to understand me, but I never yielded, not quite certain if I could or wanted to trust them, or if maybe I just was too confused in what it was that I was feeling that I wasn't certain telling anybody would make anything better. Daniel was another one, and Valentin… but he was a completely different story.

I remembered another person, Andres. The basic manipulator: there's one in every class. I still can't believe I made out with him, good thing it was years ago. Things had gone over the verge when he asked to striptease for a group of guys. I slapped him hard across the face and three of the other five guys sided with me, if not, luckily no one knows what could've happened. However, my innocent personality came out and I freaked. Because I do have different parts to me, some people know me for my goody two shoes innocence, others for my sexual comment openness, and some action, not all, other just know me as the straight As girl, wannabe valedictorian. Few, a very select few, used to know the real me in between, insecure and pretty lost. But we grew apart, they changed and I changed too. After I came here, I gained confidence, here we were all similar, and though we like to pretend to embrace to our differences, we each got our way when not dealing with anybody. I, for example, John didn't seem good company; I felt he saw through me and into my naughty side. It doesn't belong here; it's part of the past. I couldn't be too close to him without feeling his eyes on me, seeing what I have done.

I opened my eyes; some shadow obscured me, or someone?

"Hola" I was drowsy, so I just talked back. _(Hello, only timer also) _

"No estoy, quien quiera que sea déjeme seguir en lo que estaba, porfa." I spoke, for a moment feeling as if back at Costa Rica._ (I'm not here, whoever it is let me continue doing nothing, please)_

"Okay…" the voice answered.

"Mierda!" I jolted. _(um, it's just a swearword. okay, shit)_

Marie had a hearty laugh. Whoever the guy was had ran away.

"Ugh, that was unusual" I said. She kept laughing. I looked up, I questioned her: what was it, with my gaze.

"It was some weird school kid. He came on here and seemed indecisive of whether to approach you or not, and he thought it over, even murmured to himself. Pretty amusing. After you woke up I couldn't pretend not to be watching anymore. What were you thinking of?"

"Actually, I was thinking of an old friend of mine, Diego, it's been a while. I for a moment thought he was Esteban, freaky. But, oh well. Here I am in my regular clothes again. Being Alice and not Alicia. Which is actually a good thing, any idea who the kid was?"

"Dunno, one of Artie's new friends I think. he might be in middle school courses but who knows. Wanna head back?" She asked, not really wanting to. I didn't answer, I wanted to go back to that memory, it was a good memory, and once I realized it I embraced it. I still hate him, but the moment was unique. Bad thing I've never spoken to him, at least in the past two years. Good memory, it was a terrible movie, but it was an amazing, sensual, exquisite kiss. Geez, I really have to stop living in the past.

"Nah, how about you?" I said.

"Not really, I was just thinking of him again. Do you really think that he meant what he said?" I found it romantic, but she was very taken aback by it. He hadn't said I love you, he was quite a new addition to the mansion, newer than me, and was rapidly getting interested in the untouchable southern belle. (guess who!!)

"Chère, Je suis observée vous tout le temps…" I mocked his French Cajun accent, that guy seemed very like a stalker to me. (yes, this is my version of enter Gambit as well)

"You sound just like him; if I talked to you without watching you I'd fairly well confuse both of you."- She said, Marie was intensely romantic, but poor thing.

I saw a tall guy in the shadow of a nearby tree; his eyes were unmistakable, red on black eyes. I had an idea suddenly appear in my head; but, I somehow felt that he had a plan. He wanted to make a move, I often saw him around, just watching.

"Okay, close your eyes and I'll try again." I said trickily. He started to walk towards us. I walked a bit towards him, telling to Marie that I would be right back.

"Qu'est-ce que ton idée?" _(What's your idea?)_

"Je ne sais pas… vous aidez-moi?" _(I don't know... you'd help me?)_

"Comme si comme sa". _(Sort of)_

"Pourquoi?" _(Why?)_

"Elle est ma amie, vous est qui?" _(She's my friend, what are you?)_

"Ton ami?"_ (Your friend?)_

"Je ne sais pas" _(look above!)_

"Oui." _(in case you don't know, that's french for si, which is spanish for yes) (I know, a language mix-up, bear with me)_

"Pour quoi?" _(Why?)_

"Sa amie sont ma amie," I glared for a few seconds, he cocked his head. _(Her friends are my friends)_

"Très bien." I said, not quite sure _(Okay)_

"Bien" he seemed happy with the outcome _(Perfect)_

"Comment vous va parlez avec Marie?" I was certainly preoccupied for her. _(How are you going to talk to Marie?)_

"Shh, je sais comment parler avec la belle femme." Yeah, right. _(Shh, I know how to talk to the beautiful girl)_

Bien" _(look above, once more)_

"Vous retourner, je arrivée dans cinq minute" _(You go back I'll go there in five minutes)_

"Okay." _(um, okay?)_

I headed back, knowing what we were going to do. Even though it was a brief talking, my French isn't the best in the world. Marie was thinking while watching the sky.

"That you, Alice?" She said, she always knew, she had a keen sense of hearing, possible a souvenir from when Wolverine saved her. Luckily, Gambit knew how to not be heard.

"Sip" I answered. _(that's like saying yep, in Spanish)_

"Okay, now what?" She asked while I slumped next to her

"Dunno. I wanna trace back to my best memory…You know, we are both hopelessly romantic." She said. I must oblige, I love to read and write romance… but I can't seem to apply it to my relationships, but that's not what defines me, most of the time. "You with all your guys: Valentin and your latest ex, and I with Remy."

"Oui, ma belle femme." I mocked again. She closed her eyes savoring the accent.

"Say it again." I saw Remy making his way toward us.

"Ton cour c'est ma vie…" I said as romantically as I could, I started standing up slowly. Remy took over from there. I smiled to him, knowing that that small phrase beside her imagination was somewhat going to keep her to herself for more than a few seconds.

I was so happy for them, no envy, not after what recently happened anyway.

* * *

please review. 


	2. Timeless Flirting

**It's two in the morning and i can't sleep. Don't worry, i'm not complaining i actually had a good productive writing session. i love the enormous change that this chapter has, you can feel freee to compare it to Alice's Secret chapter two and see the difference for yourself.**

_Disclaimer: _I own only the plot, my very intimate and personal , i am well aware of the laws against author's right, so as long i don't profit i can write. While i find my own muse i can practice with xmen movieverse, after all, in the end, it's all just a day dream.

* * *

CH 2 Timeless Flirting

* * *

John was eyeing me curiously all through the danger room session individual work which only three of us attend: me, because of lack of experience, Angel, to improve his offensive skills, and him because he claimed to be much ahead than the rest of the group. That meant Marie didn't show up; I said I didn't know why hadn't arrived for normal sessions that were before ours. I was nevertheless hoping she'd fill me in later in the evening, if I saw her soon enough.

While it was Angel's turn John tried to make conversation with me.

"So, you liking it here?" he asked me, starting conversation.

"Yeah," I tried not to sound bored, though I was, seeing Warren's very nice abs made me very uninterested in whatever John was trying to say.

"Made any special friends yet?" he asked suggestively, I wasn't watching him to know what exactly he was going at.

"Nope" I answered, keeping my cool, being quite laid back.

"Intend to find any?" he smirked as he said that. I looked towards him intensely.

"Are you asking me if I'm available?" there, made it easier for him.

"Yes" he answered fast, like that was his next question if I had not been so bold. Though he sounded more like he wanted a blowjob, not a girlfriend, but then again, maybe I was just feeling horny myself. I considered my answer, thinking that I was now in control.

"Depends…" I started. "It depends on how I feel really, I mean, there's no guy back home to who I write yours truly emails everyday. So yeah, I think I am available" I desisted from saying more: _Do you want a girlfriend or a friend who happens to be a girl or just a pair of breasts?_ I kept that part to myself, and at the same time thinking what I want from a guy who wants to be near me.

"Good" he said. I watched Warren's nice tight butt and squared off chest that made him very sweet to my eyes. "So, would you like to go out sometime?" he said, I senses that he felt better, way better, after saying that.

"Sure" I said in passing, not really reading into the possibility of him being attracted to me. Warren had just finished, and his tones back body was covered by his wings when he stopped, he then turned around, and walked towards us shirtless. I shut my mouth, and glanced away, I didn't want to seem… dunno, stalking? Is that the word? Or is it ecstatic?

"Fireboy, you're up" Logan called from the control room upstairs. This was a plus, that way I could watch both boys without a reprimanding glance from him. Warren sat next to me. I smiled at him, I looked at John, he wasn't all that bad either. He had this bad boy thing going on, and that was definitely eye-catching. But that was not all. I don't know if it was because he was sweating a lot or wanted some attention like the one I was giving to Warren while he was trying to talk to me, but seconds after starting he took his shirt off. Yeah, he was exposing, but I don't complain, the view is good...

"So, Alice, what made you choose to come here?" Warren started to make conversation. Why do guys always want to talk?

"Well, the professor had visited me about three or four months back, when I had just recently gotten my power, I think it was one of the first times that I lost control and a wave of emotion stopped time, which is something I can't will myself to actually do, he senses it and came to me. Since that I've been trying to keep my powers in check, but for some reason I wasn't interested in coming here at first, I was okay, people don't see what and when I use my powers" I answered, it was weird, I was watching John, and that answer was like a rant of thought, not really considered what Warren might have been expecting me to say.

"And?" he asked. I sensed curiosity in his words, I was a bit sad as I looked away from John's nice butt, but I looked towards him.

"What?" I said pretending to be innocent about it.

"What made you change your mind?" I thought back to that terrible night. I just had to disappear, and this was the open door that I had had the whole time.

"Dunno, I felt lonely. I never trusted anyone with my secret, knowing that they wouldn't understand and worse mistrust me for it. My few friends I pushed apart from the moment it started to the moment I left, I stopped telling them everything confidently and that was going through my mind since I felt that I was better off alone. Eventually I saw myself, and I was not living as one should live. I realized I had a good chance of being myself here, and so it is" I answered. I have no idea what is happening to me, I suddenly had an urge to spill what I felt to him. I had only been this open with Marie and Dr. McCoy, well, and partially with Xavier.

"yeah, I think we all had that before coming here. I know I had trouble being myself to my father, and my family had almost been the most important thing for me. For I while, I hurt myself to please them." He paused. I continued my watching.

"But?" I asked. I felt that he was leaving something out.

"I realized I should be happy too. And I can't hide, eventually they realized it and I decided I needed to be elsewhere. But that took me years to realized, They started growing when I was ten, and were fully developed, not able to cover them anymore, when I was sixteen. Since then, I've been I mess." I listened attentively all the way. He felt like someone I could trust.

"I never told my parents, actually they were the easier ones to keep it a secret from, I don't often get emotional or too carried on with them that I have rage or anything of the sort towards, Besides, once time continued, I affected the five of they just the same" I told him. "They think this is just a regular boarding school, and since they know I was always an excellent student didn't read into it much when I got the letter" I explained. I smiled, though I wasn't looking directly at him. I hoped he thought I was trying to see his technique to then apply it or something, I don't think he'd continue his conversation if he felt I was being completely out of it, and he was watching his technique, after all, John supposedly was too good, or in my opinion, his muscle mass was overpowering his brain mass, what I mean is that he too full of himself.

"Oh" he said, I hunched he had an honesty thing in his relationship with his family.

"Warren," I said slowly and tentatively. "I know this is a little out of topic," I started. "But I've been curious, how old are you?" I asked.

"Twenty." He said. "You?"

"Eighteen" I answered, well, I was eighteen in about two or three weeks, but it's the same difference anyways. He looked at me. "You don't look eighteen." He said. I chuckled slightly.

"Okay," I admitted. "You caught me. I'm seventeen, I'm turning eighteen next month." I said sincerely, which was a rarity.

"Seriously?" he seemed awed.

"What's so wrong about that?" I looked at him, I didn't know if I should be feeling flattered or insulted.

"I thought you were older, I mean, you look very mature and serious" he told me. I smiled.

"And I was thinking you were not giving me enough credit because of my height" I joked at him.

"Your height?" he asked. I nodded. I stood up to prove my point. He stood too, yep, I barely reached his shoulder. He laughed.

"I actually hadn't noticed that" he said. I grinned, not really sure if I was buying that. He then spread his wings to full length. I looked at them, just like a bird's, He must have felt my eyes look over his shoulder to his smooth feathers. My hand moved a bit towards them, but I controlled myself,

"I'm sorry," was the lame words that I came up with. I pretended to blush, and looked down, but no color rose to my face.

"Don't worry, you seem awed, not scared" he told me, "Not many people get that reaction, at least the ones I've met" he said, closing them again and sitting down. I had no idea what had taken over me just then. I noticed the robots stopped appearing.

"Alice,--

"I'm going, Logan" I spoke loudly. I started walking, John passed by me, and I was very sure that he noticed my eyes going up and down his body. He appeared not to notice, but I know he noticed, and he liked that attention. I jogged to the center of the room. I changed my normally thoughtful self and focused hard on the guidelines that Logan gave me and having a good disposition towards the session.

After a general practice I had to practice my fighting abilities with a few kicks and turns that finished my individual skit with some hologram guys. I still had to get better with my punches. Logan insisted I was still not ready for group work, he also insisted for me to get a codename; I just had no idea what word I could use to refer to my ability, and for the moment. I didn't think it would be so hard, but I still don't have one.

"Focus, Alice, Focus" Logan said, I had traced off again, a new hologram was in front of me. I kicked it hard on the shin and turned to connect with its face once. It was already weakened; a badly aimed punch to the nose knocked it out, just as I wanted.

"I want you to make him go towards you" he told me. I waited for the next hologram, soon enough a man hologram appeared, with a weird uniform. I stood still. He then saw me and moved tentatively towards me, as if seeing if I was a threat or not. Off course me alone is not a threat to anybody, but I have to become one. He continued. Then he somehow sensed that I was a mutant and started to lunge towards me. Something happened, and I lost my confidence, my stance, and felt lost. I had to run away from this thing, he wanted to hurt me. I turned around and ran. Then I remembered I was in the Danger Room, everything was in control.

"Alice!" Warren and John both called to me, concerned. Well, there goes nothing. They must have thought I was going to stop him anytime, but I trusted instincts that had been in me since before my powers. I finally reached the wall. The hologram was not far behind me. I placed my foot at the direct connection of floor and wall, I lifted my other leg full upwards and used that to impulse myself up and against the wall. My body turned completely in the air before falling on both feet, with the practiced effort of a gymnast, and then moved my feet to have a good kicking aim. My left leg connected with the side of his stomach he held it momentarily. I took two steps back, and one more. He was looking at me with anger, damn, theses holograms were good. Focus! I told myself. Right kick to his shin again. And turn to hit his other side, he stumbled back, he was starting to hunch over. This was the last shot, my ballerina leg shot full upwards and I struck it down with the force of recent intense swimming practice and a long forgotten tae-kwon-do technique. I had no idea I still had that I me. He was about to fall over. I got close to him, held him up, and looked at him with a concerned face. What had I done? Who had I hurt? No, I'm still in the danger room. I had to finish him. My personal defense kicked in, my leg went full force to his groin. He was out. I sighed.

Suddenly I felt very tired. I was still standing up, but I felt that I needed to rest. I took two deep breaths. Then I thought back for a few minutes on how I had changed so many times during this. I turned around. John and Warren were standing, near the middle of the room, headed to where I was, but had stopped dryly, were they stood open mouthed and were still trying to get a response.

I raised my line of sight and saw Logan, also stunned.

"Amazing, Alice," he congratulated me. "I had no idea you had that kind of strength in you" he told me. After he spoke John and Warren shut their mouths.

"You two were about to catch flies with your mouths" I told them. I suddenly realized how scared I had been, and how well I had reacted. I had no idea I had that inside of me.

The danger room door opened and Logan entered. He was still very impressed by me, I was glad.

"Kid, where did all that come from?" he asked me. How to explain?

"Um, well, I think my dancing lessons really helped build my legs right. But I stopped having then like a year ago. Swimming most every day has kept them toned, but the flexibility has been something dormant for months now. And I really think that the well aimed kicks were a flashback from when I used to do martial arts as a child" I said, unsure if that was true, but it was the best I could come up with.

"You were a gymnast?" John asked. I shook my head.

"I used to take dancing lessons, and that involved a few gymnastics, so I was flexible back then, But then again, I guess I'm still pretty flexible." I looked at him. "Wanna see how flexible I am?" I asked him, not thinking it through. But the expression on his face told me he had completely misinterpreted that. I looked away.

"You used to do martial arts?" Warren's turn. I nodded.

"Yeah, but over eight years ago" I answered.

"Okay, that was a good display, Alice, but remember that was just a hologram, not the real thing." He told me, I nodded.

"Yeah, a real person would still be out after being played with like that!" John exclaimed, which earned him a glance from Logan.

"I think that was mainly because of the finishing move" I interrupted, tired of them deciding which were the good things and bad things of what I did. "I mean, a knee in any guys crotch hurts like hell." I commented. I didn't stop myself in time. Their expressions told me that they had experienced quite a few of those. An entertained face snuck up to my face, I quickly erased it.

"You're excused," Logan took command again. The three of us started to head back. "Alice, wait, I have to ask you something" he called back to me. I thought he was probably going to continue with the stunt I just did. The back flip was amazing, and it had really been a long time.

"Look, I'm not usually the one to meddle" he started, keeping his face straight. "But was this exercise a relief? Were picturing someone specific on that holograms face?" Whoa, I had not seen that coming.

"What?" was the only coherent word I managed to speak.

"Rage, fury, wrath. Strong emotions that came out while you were fighting, I saw the different expressions when you were battling." He told me. Damn! I'd forgotten he had seen my little cell phone fiasco in the morning.

"Oh, no" I told him. "You mean the phone thing in the morning? I wasn't thinking of that at all"

"Then what happened? Since when do you run away from a hologram?" he asked me. Ç

"He looked menacing!" I answered, "By the time I remembered I was in the danger room I collected myself quickly. Then I considered who I had hurt. For some reason I kept forgetting I was in here." I told the truth, sometimes it was the best thing to do. If I lied in a position like this I would get to confused myself.

"Look, I almost called the program off. These holograms are supposed to be real. Because eventually we are going to have to face anything out there, and we have no idea when a pacifist becomes a threat." He told me, so the expression I saw was real.

"Okay" I answered weakly. I closed my eyes, suddenly realizing how tired I was. I took a deep breath. I had too many things take over me in this session. I cooled by closing my eyes and not think for a few seconds. He took a step that made me jolt back to awareness. For a moment I felt that I stopped him, not really wanting to, I felt that something was about to happen. I went to the door, when I saw that John was peeping in, frozen also. I followed out, seizing the chance to pull a prank on him, I took his lighter. I forgot about Logan and continued to the kitchen for a snack. Kurt was in there with Storm, both frozen as well. I didn't believe that I could have been able to reach that far, unless… did I freeze time, effortlessly?

I had to be sure. I ran back, almost bumping into Warren that was, as I noticed as I headed back, coming out of the men's changing room. I continued to run, finally reaching my bag and rummaged through until I saw my cell phone. I pressed the redial button quickly, it didn't matter the number, and there was no tone. I had actually stopped time. As soon as I realized it, a gleeful smile broadened over my head, and I jumped high in the air in ecstasy. The thing was how to make it go again. I walked slowly from the aisle that led from the changing rooms back to the danger room thinking of how to do it. After I reached the danger room, I started pacing in it and after a long time, I couldn't consult my watch to know how long it had been, I still didn't know what to do.

"Dios Mío que voy a hacer! (Dear god, what am I going to do?)" I yelled. I crumpled to the floor and shrunk myself in the middle of the room. I didn't notice anything around me, nor did I want to.

"Alice, stand up, you can leave Logan said. I just looked at him, awed, when had it ended?

"Logan, what was the last thing you did or heard?" I asked, seeking to see what triggered it.

"You yelling Spanish, kid" he said and continued away. Then talking did it, talking made time continue? Yes! It makes sense, the sound waves needed to travel, hence it continued. I myself had stopped it unconsciously when I needed to hear myself.

Once Logan had left, I went to the door, I was humming to myself and pretended to not know that John was there and banged the door exactly to where I knew he was spying.

"God, woman!" he said to me. I turned around casually to take a good look on the place where in just a few hours I'd se an enormous bruise.

"Oh, so sorry, John, I had no idea you were there! Maybe there's something I can do to make it up to you…" I added, he stared a bit lower than my face after I said that. Darn, I have to stop using those comments. "Animal" I said in Spanish, which sounds a lit different than in english. Luckily, John had no interest in Spanish whatsoever. Storm had asked me to teach some basics to some people who were interested, so we had a small session during class hours. He had no idea what that was, but it wouldn't hurt him to know what I said.

"I meant I could help you with your chemistry or math homework, something of the sort, moron. AND by the way, I did know you were there. AND Don't Mess With Me!" I kept my voice low, but I managed to make sure he understood my anger.

"Chill, Alice, and, if you are not going to continue screaming…" I glared at him. I know that it was not screaming, if I were screaming, he would've already ran away in fear. "Take that as a compliment, and I know you are not easy"

"Like hell you should know that…" I replied coldly, but tracing off. Am I easy? I do love the opposite sex in general, my at least romantic life was never empty, I've done some crazy stuff. What does he know? Maybe I ain't easy, but my body knows lots of things he may think it doesn't.

"Alice, don't do that creepy thinking around me" he stated. I didn't listen. "Alice…" He continued the nerve of him.

"Okay, I'm not doing anything" I said.

"That's exactly what's unnerving" he said. I was getting awkward in this conversation. I wanted to freeze him and leave, but that would be too much of a bad idea. Why was he getting this much out of me?

_To your all your friends, you're delirious_

_So consumed in all your doom_

_Trying hard to fill the emptiness, the pieces gone_

_Left the puzzle undone, that's the way it is_

_-Christina Aguilera_

"Well, I'll be leaving then, we do have math homework" I said, turning, finally, and moving on.

"Wait up, aren't you gonna help me with it?" he said, trying to catch up with me, but for a reason I knew that he was lagging behind a bit on purpose. I wanted to say no, I wouldn't be able to concentrate, but I didn't want to seem too mean or harsh to him either.

"Okay, but don't you dare get any ideas!" Was I hating being with him, cursing it, or was I starting to dig him? Whichever this was, it was not good. I didn't need anybody else right now. We went to the library, I like doing the homework there in silence, and even if right now wouldn't be silence it was still comfortable

"You will never guess what happened to me today," he started talking as we got ourselves seated in a long desk."

"What?" I wasn't really interested, I asked politely while I rummaged for the assignment.

"Out of nowhere, I small bruise is forming on my forehead", he said. "Right here, as if somebody threw a rock or something at me, but I don't recall anything of the sort" I looked at the books in front of me as to not notice the spot where my phone had accidentally hit him in the morning, throwing that cell phone had been a bad idea.

"Isn't that from the door you just bumped, I mean, I accidentally knocked into you?" I asked, sounding unamused, otherwise very bored.

"Oh, that's probably it. I'd forgotten." he said, getting a little closer to catch my eye.

"Right…" I said. "Okay, look, trigonometry is really easy…"

"Why?"

"Well, for starters all you have to do is memorize the names and know how to…

""Do you know something I don't?" he exclaimed, as if shocked that I had said that.

"Maybe, but that's just because you don't do any schoolwork" I said sarcastically.

"Yeah, but then again, there's other far more interesting stuff to do" At that moment my phone rang, bad timing, actually. I was intrigued to where his insinuation was headed.

I had to take it out, it most possibly would be Marie… I checked and it was her, and I was absolutely dying to talk to her.

"Give me a sec," I said. I walked to a corner on the side and smiled to myself as I answered the phone.

"How was your date, Marie?" I asked, intrigued.

"How could you? All of a sudden he's there? Have you any idea the shock that I had? What were you thinking? He says that you both were plotting this…" Oh no, I had actually thought that it would work.

"I'm sorry; I thought you would like the surprise… I wouldn't call it plotting; it was more of, alliance for a cause?" I said, not wanting her to yell more. I clenched my eyes shut as I said something that I hoped would make it sound less bad.

"It was great!" her voice was still overexcited. "He was so sweet to me, we rode around town, then we went to a nice parlor café, and I'm now entering the mansion, his bike is so cool. Where are you?"

"Doing the math homework, wanna join us?" I cleared up that I was not alone.

"Whose us?"

"John and I" said, looking his way. He had a mischievous grin, I looked away immediately.

"Okay, I'll be right there" she said as we both hung up.

"Was that Kitty yelling over the other end of your phone?" he asked me as soon as a slumped in the chair again. I placed the cell phone to the side.

"No, that was," I repressed a laugh" Marie."

"Rogue? Rogue? The introverted and always in worried somebody'll touch her Rogue?" he said trying to sound even more amazed than what he was.

"Yes" I said, asking him with my eyes to stop nagging.

"What on earth happened to your phone?" He said reaching for it between us.

"Noth…" I tried to seize it before he reached it but I couldn't, he reached it first.

"Funny, looked like it fell from a second floor or something, a bit trashed up" he said, I still pretended I knew nothing, I didn't want to go in the whole Julian thing right now.

"It's been like that since I got here" I explained,

"No it's not… I remember seeing it whole the day when…" he stopped abruptly.

"The day when…?" I questioned, had he been snooping in the girl's room?

"Nothing." He said, now he was trying to drop the subject.

"Have you been doing any snooping, lately?" I asked him. He answered with his face before he was able to open his mouth.

"Tell me what you were doing in there." I said. His face was a dead give away, he had been snooping in our room.

"No,"

"If you don't, I'll personally make sure you flunk school from tardiness and also get in trouble with Logan for just about anything" I threatened him, this was fun!

"Hey," he suddenly saw how one and one add two, he said, indignantly.

"Tell me what you were looking for in our room"

"Fine! I have too much esteem of my body, darn it. We, us; Kurt, cause we needed a fast way in and out and he consented our little game, Bobby, Colossus and I, were in your rooms because Bobby had to search for Marie's slippers and put them on, Colossus had to dial direct to Costa Rica and leave the call open for five minutes, Bobby followed to sniff Kathryn's panties and I had to…"

"Ashamed? You can say what everyone else did but it is to low to say your own atrocities?"

"I had to put on a dirty tight pant from any of you" he said above a whisper.

Giggles erupted in my throat, but I repressed them, which was a bad idea since I ended up snorting the laughter up. "Did you?"

"Sort of, most of use had completed the dares except me, I was halfway through it when the knob turned and one of you guys was about to enter and he had to escape in a flash."

"I guess it was Rogue," I said.

"Why?" he said.

"Well, for starters, I always freeze the room before I enter, to see how everything's going on in there and to spook Kitty and Rogue every once in a while. And secondly, since when does Kitty turn knobs?"

"True, but we didn't stay behind to find out. We all held on to Kurt as he ported us out. I was still wearing the pants."

"Whose were they? I'm intrigued; we should have jokes played on you as well."

"Don't, you'll get in even more trouble."

"Anyway, whose were they?"

"Kitty's" he said.

"What was Kitty's? Did you find her chocolate stash and raid it?" Rogue asked as she settled down next to us.

"Her pants, her tight dirty jeans as he stated it. That he had to put on for some stupid macho guy dare when he was in our room." I explained.

"Ew, I've heard she doesn't wear underwear with jeans." She said.

"Thanks for sharing that, Marie" I said, sarcastically.

"Bad mental image! Wait, bad moment! I actually had to put those on! Argh!" he's started to go pretend to lose it.

"Chill, dude" I imitated him. He took a deep breath.

"Go away, John, I need to have a word with Rogue in private" I asked him politely, but in an authority tone.

"Okay, mother" he said. But he only moved his papers a bit to the left and stayed there in order to eavesdrop.

"Away, vino" I said again.

"Don't you dare insult me with something I don't understand!" he said.

"I wasn't" I said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, okay. Talk to you later" He left.

"Tell me! I turned to her"

"I love him more than ever, Alice; he's like a dream come true, it feels like a fantasy, to good to be real."

"Better start believing it, mi amiga, el amor existe…" I proclaimed loudly. (gal)

"Love… exists?" she guessed correctly.

"Yep, but l'amour is way more romantic, non?" I said. (love...no)

"Yes, I'd say French is very, very romantic sided with Spanish, no insult meant."

"None taken, Marie" I said. "Have you ever heard the saying: Para hacer negocios esta el ingles, para enamorar el francés, pero para hablar con Dios español" (For business, English. For love, French. But Spanish to talk to God, it's a saying)

"Ha, that was too much" she said, looking at me expectantly to translate. "You're going to have to consult a dictionary, muchacha, (girl) because I want to finish this homework before dinner, and there's only like twenty minutes left. But after that you fill me in with all your details of the date!" I said.

"Okay, I'm going to go call Wolverine, apologize for missing the practice and ask to reschedule meanwhile." She informed me. I nodded and was finally able to do the homework. Was it that good that she left? I was still not able to concentrate on the homework afterwards. I was thinking about what John had said, I know you're not easy, the more I thought of if the more I realized that I used to be easy, but I need a man right now to make me easy, but I don't have one right now. That means that I'm not necessarily easy.

_Everyday is so wonderful, then suddenly it's hard to breath_

_Now and then I get insecure, from all the pain_

_I'm so ashamed_

_-Christina Aguilera_

* * *

reviews make me happy, happy me is sleepless me, and sleepless me works fervently on this story. :P so please review_  
_


	3. Hide the Pieces

**Disclaimer: let's leave it simple: no coin gain, and after a long while of daydreaming i realized i don't own X·men, but i still look up to the creators.**

I want to thank the people that have reviewed:

**SessyLover180:** thanks for the support ;)

**Morgaine of the Faeries:** there's a reason for the mystery of Remy, and it will be unravelled soon, okay? and maybe somewhere along the same lines Rogue is a bit out of character, but you'll see why, in a few chapters. I'm sorry about the grammar, truth is don't have a beta and i don't spell check knowing the side effects of it. I am trying hard, i still have trouble sometimes, i'll recheck them anyways. And i don't know whether i should be insulted or nor that you labeled by character as a Mary Sue, so i investigated it. I know the story is quite introspective, but that's my style. Oh, and i did the mary sue litmus myself, scoring 32, so guess that's bad. thanks a lor for your criticism!

* * *

_CH3 Hide the Pieces_

* * *

Dinner went by quickly, I didn't practice at all, and after that Marie told me detail to detail everything about Gambit or My Remy as she liked to call him.

"He was wearing this very sexy tight shirt, and his hair had a few long bangs that framed his face. His huge enormous dark ruby eyes observed me adoringly at all moments. This tanned skin looked so warm, so cozy, so welcoming, and he took my gloved hands over and over again and caressed them. We walked through the park talking about nothing specifically. My Remy seemed radiant to spend some time with me, and I guess I had been glowing too. We went to a coffee house later on, he wanted to buy bourbon for us both, but the waiter asked him for ID so we settled for strong coffee. He's only twenty, you know." She talked slowly and sweetly. I listened intently. She was in love. I wanted to feel that way, but I knew all to well that infatuation is not love, and I have not yet fallen in love. But it made me so happy to see her like this.

All of a sudden I couldn't hear her words anymore, only my thoughts. I realized I had fallen asleep and so had she. I had been sitting on the edge of her bed, so I moved out of the corner and moved to my bed. I was actually pretty tired. But I was still wearing my regular clothes, so I changed and washed my face before heading to bed. I took my Jules Verne book from my nightstand, no sooner had I done that when I heard a tap on the window. God, he can't let the three of us sleep!

I sat up on my bed and signaled to him that she was asleep. Then I continued with my book. He tapped again.

"What now?" I mumbled getting out. I went to the window and opened the sliding door, luckily tonight I had actually decided to put on my short bottoms to bed, a costum I'd had to adapt since I arrived, because I used to sleep with only panties and a small t-shirt. I sighed, pulling them a bit lower so they'd cover my big ass. In the balcony he was smoking and looking out towards the moonlight, he acknowledged my presence pretty past.

"Hello, Alice" he said to me. He was up to something, I was immediately suspicious. "Y'always dis suspicious?" he asked. Empathy, I forgot.

"When it comes to you, yes" I said, pulling on my shirt where my breasts were threatening to not stay in place.

"That's not good." He said. He laughed. My facial muscles remained still, whatever I was thinking the last thing I wanted was him noticing anything through my expression.

"Cut to the point, Gambit" I spat at him. He noticed that my grumpiness was mostly because I was sleepy, so he did as I requested.

"You can help me, through you I can get to know Marie more, I mean, she still doesn't trust me with her last name!" he said, mortified. A smug grin appeared on my face.

"Well, haha, she's told me that" I said. But somehow, I felt there was something he was on the verge of telling me. I listened and suppressed a yawn that wanted to leave my chest.

"I need her t'trust me" he said.

"Don't see what this has to do with me" I said. He moved closer. "Y'don't?" he continued. "No" I said, there was a reason why he was getting closer.

"Remember I can read people, p'tite." He told me. "You crave to be close to anything handsome on two feet," he told me, more like whispered in my ear. I bit my lower lip. My chest rose from the very deep breath I took. His closeness made me warm inside, if it hadn't been him I would soon have his mouth trapped in mine. I shut my eyes and thought of anything that was not sexy… kiwis, damn those are kinky. Um, schoolwork. Yes, that works. I hated when people could see beneath my surface, and break the tranquility of the water in my soul.

"What does that have anything to do with you two? Besides, even if what you said was true, I always place my friendships first." I answered hotly to him, hissing. "No necesito escuchar esto" I said harshly and turned away. I despise when people think they know me… _(I don't need to hear this)_

"Yes, you do" he told me. Did he know Spanish? He pulled my arm, and his grip held me too strongly. I froze him, it was my last defense. I smuggled my arm out. I went inside and closed the door. From there I unfroze him. He until right now hadn't seen me use my powers. He gave me a shocked expression. He mouthed something, but I pretended that I didn't hear it.

"We need to reach her soul, that's the key to her touch," he said again. Sometimes I regretted my capacity at lip reading. "Don't give her any false hopes" I murmured, hoping he wouldn't understand. I moved the drapes and moved to my bed and turned off the lights. But what if he was right? There should be a way around her powers, we just hadn't discovered it yet. The thought of Rogue being able to touch wouldn't leave my mind all night, partly because of how emotional being able to do so would make her, but how many other things that I could share with her about touch. I somehow sensed that Gambit only wanted to plant an idea in my head, that he would address the topic to me again. had to try before I talked again to Gambit.

Luckily I had a dreamless sleep which enabled me to wake up at the right time. I noticed that Kitty had arrived from her date with Bobby, I wondered if they had arrived inside curfew or not. It was five when my alarm clock went off. Darn danger room sessions. I threw over the mattress to the side and walked over to the bathroom. After a quick shower I put on the practicing uniform and moved back to the room, made my bed quickly. Kathryn was starting to roll over on her bed, her alarm clock wasn't functional since the day before yesterday when she phased through it. So, I woke her up.

"Hey, Kat, wake up. It's 5:15 already" I whispered in her ear. She woke up immediately. At least my wake up call was not as disturbingly annoying as hers.

"Thanks, Alice" she told me. I nodded and went downstairs. I trusted she'd wake Rogue up.

When I arrived at the Danger Room there were only two people there. Xavier and Logan. I remained in the back, not wanting to disturb them.

"We were just talking about you, Alice" Xavier called to me. I went to them, feeling awkward. However, they talked to me.

"Listen, kid," Logan started to talk to me. "You are good with your kicks, from what I saw yesterday, but this evening I want you to practice on your punches, they're not good enough." I nodded in acknowledgement.

"I don't like to fight; I used to take a kind of martial art, so some of it stuck with me. However, I prefer self defense than attack." I told him, avoiding his glance.

"And you're pretty good at that, but today after school I want you in here at four to practice your punches. Don't be late" he stated firmly. God, did he always have to be like this?

"Yes, sir" I answered.

He looked a bit shocked by the formality. I wish I could freeze him, so I could talk to Xavier about that thing… **_Go right ahead_**, a different voice that was not mine encouraged in my head. I did it.

"What did you want to tell me?" Xavier asked cautiously.

"Um, since Marie and I are so close, I was just wondering, is there a known way for her to control her powers?" I said. I stopped my thoughts to not give much away, and hear his answer also.

"At the moment we know of no way." He said enigmatically.

"Oh, well. And another thing, I'm just curious… has everyone that has taken the cure recovered from it?" I asked.

"Why such a question, Alicia?" he said. (that's actually her real name, she's latina, f.y.i.)

"It's Alice," I corrected instantly, then regret flowed over me. "And I was mostly wondering because, well, I've seen Leech around, and he looks so ashamed that he has such a capacity, so I thought maybe if he knew that everybody was okay now, those who never wanted the cure and stuff. Maybe that could be a comfort to him" I made up quickly.

"As far as I know, most of them are okay now, which is a sad thing for those who actually desired to not have their powers, for the threat it meant for themselves and others. However, other people that were shot unwilling are perfectly fine. All the research and remaining antibodies were destroyed." He cleared up, even if he considered that is not what I waned to hear. "No deep situation seems to trouble mutants at the moment. And another thing, I don't think that not hearing your name will help you deal with the problems you escaped from by coming here." He was good, too good.

"Profesor, la verdad es que no les estoy huyendo viniendo aquí, los he estado desde hace tiempo y me estaban volviendo loca por estar tan presentes. Y no son tantos problemas como memorias que sin razón continúan atormentándome." I explained. He knew Spanish, from what he told me. He understood that I changed to it to say something so personal._ (Professor, truth is I'm not running from them by coming here, i have been for quite a long time ago, i was going crazy for them being so present around me. So many troubles ad memories that continued to torment me without a good reason)_

"I see. Sometimes there is a reason for regret that one shouldn't overlook. Inside I can see that you keep trying to overlook feelings because you're afraid of the repercussions" he said. I was starting to get uncomfortable.

"Así es como yo lo veo: prefiero pretender un montón de cosas y no tener que sufrir por ser mas parte de las cosas de lo que necesito ser. No quiero salir lastimada, pero si quiero disfrutar de las cosas. Si hago las cosas sin poner mis emociones en medio de eso nadie sale herido. Ya eso me paso una vez con una persona y no quiero que vuelva a pasar. No quiero estar en un estado de confusión así de grande de nuevo, después de todo es solo cuerpo." I encoded. I let myself plunge on the floor. I started to submerge myself in thoughts that I used to think I had buried deep inside. _(This is how I see it: If I play around pretending things are something that they are not, I don't get hurt. If I play without feelings no one gets hurt. That already happened once with one person. I wasn't going to let myself get confused again, it's just sharing after all)_

My first kiss went all wrong. I didn't love him, he was just a friend! We both were so confused we stopped talking, that was three years ago and still every once in a while the thought of him haunts me. From then on I've been playing with fire, kissing different people and other stuff without letting my feelings get in the way. I pick up a hot guy and make him feel sexy and horny to my pleasure, but I can't let myself get attached. It's just infatuation after all. What am I supposed to say to them anyways? This is only for tonight? Better disappear off their lives as fast as I came in. The trouble was Mike. One of my last nights in Costa Rica I ran into an old friend, he remembered me more than I remembered him, I only remembered his good looks, not that he had feelings for me… How could I have been so blind? After one crazy night I escaped before he woke up, and he asked everywhere for me. Luckily I left before he found me, things were never supposed to get too personal… One thing is my body and one thing is my feelings. I have to set them aside to not get in trouble, to not confuse myself. Mike was great, but I still have to burn with the consequences. Soon enough he'll get my cell phone line, he knows several people that have it. And that's gonna be a problem. A very large problem. Darn Mike…

_I begin to give in with no hesitation  
Can't help my infatuation  
Its pure infatuation  
Skin the color of cinnamon  
His eyes light up and I melt within  
Feels so good it must be a sin  
I can't stop what I've started, I'm givin' in  
He brings life to my fantasies  
Sparks a passion inside of me  
-Christina Aguilera_

Live life to its fullest, yeah right. Enjoy with caution is more proper. I sighed; three people were already heading over here. I was probably a mess, during all that thinking my hands kept pulling my hair in different directions. Not to mention the inexplicable confusion that overwhelmed me. I looked up to see who the people that arrived were: John was moving at a quicker pace before Kitty, Rogue, and Colossus. I leveled my weigh on my feet and got up, swiftly.

"Alice!" Rogue called to me, I waved. She was a step behind the other two. She signaled to her wrist, which even without her watch I knew what she meant. I froze Colossus, Kitty and John in a blink. I took two jumps towards Rogue, who after one step remained still.

"Just a thought: Unfreeze Wolverine before he is really pissed." I made a mental note to unfreeze them all together. "Did you freeze the professor as well?" she exclaimed.

"No…" looking back, I noticed I had, unintentionally and without even realizing so. I unfroze him immediately. "Sorry, professor, I didn't notice I had stopped you, I'm so sorry!" I apologized going back to where he was.

"No harm done, Alicia. I never noticed." He lied. But, somehow it was good that I froze him, even if he says he doesn't listen in to a person's inner conversations it would have been kinda creepy that he was near.

"So sorry!" I said. I looked up to Rogue, still in the same spot. "Aw, come on, it's not like my power should remain a secret to all of them." I said. She shook her head in response, I unfroze the rest of them.

Wolverine's eyes looked surprised.

"Sorry, I forgot about you…" I mumbled.

"Ugh, that still gives me the creeps" he shuddered slightly. I glanced a smirk towards him. His piercing gaze was enough to make me lower my head again, why did I get to many mixed impressions of him? He seems like a reasonable and nice guy, yet he want to appear scary, powerful and moreover highly experienced.

"Seems we're to be running late in time…" he eyed me again "I want everyone to give ten laps to the room, I'll be taking time for all of you. No powers" What? He even suspected me?

"Quiero que vea ese maldito... Yo no soy una tramposa." I mumbled. _(Let him see… I am not a cheater)_

"Everyone ready?" most of us sulked to the end of the room. He blew a whistle and we all started to trot along the lines, by then Bobby and Jubilee and the others had already arrived. Only him and Colossus sprinted from the start. Thought John's, Angel's and Colossus's pace was much more fast than mine. I continued to jog, focused, I didn't want to start thinking of something else nor freezing people without meaning it. By the eighth round, I started to accelerate. I passed Angel, Bobby that was losing his pace since two laps ago, and was catching up with John. Colossus remained on the lead The rest had been lagging behind. As I moved in on John he increases his speed as well. By then, the ninth lap was about to end. I focused on the end point and ran with all my energy, but so did he. I think he didn't like the idea of a girl being faster than him.

I got in second. At least, that would prove my point to Wolverine. I looked at him and he just grumbled, I didn't freeze John all right, but I guess he was still suspicious. Darn him. I went through the rest of the morning training trying to please him. But I knew that it wasn't going to happen today. Once in the changing rooms I banged my locker shut, which decided to sound more than what I intended it to. Only Jubilee remained in the changing room. She, wisely, decided to start to leave.

"Jueputa mierda" I said under my breath, pretty sure that she had heard it. This day had already started wrong and classes hadn't even started. I took a deep breath. Tomorrow everything could be a lot more better. (swear words, no translation)

"Alice, let's go" Marie called me from the end of the hallway. I took another big breath before smiling towards her once I had her in my view in the hallway. "Just a sec" I hauled my bag over my shoulder and walked over there. She grinned. She knew something.

"I think we'll spend the evening out again " she seemed pleased. I was feeling rather sulky so I remained quiet. I could still remember his words. That is the key to her powers. It didn't make any sense, for all I know he's lying. "Which reminds me, you never told me you could speak French, like fluently, and I thought you only knew some random words." She said, impressed. I just nodded not looking towards her.

"Um, well, I remember a few things; I had to take a French course for two years in school. Had a test and aced it, but some of the things stuck around in my head. Nothing serious actually. Guess Gambit told you about that" I said. She nodded gleefully. I continued to walk to our bedroom.

"What class do you have now?" she asked me. Gambit was getting too much out of her, I considered slightly that his empathy was very focused on impressing her, but then again, he wouldn't be as dirty as to try to pull as stunt like that. I mean, with his looks, he could have any girl in the mansion… but then again Kitty and Jubilee were spoken for. And I… well, let's just say I made sure I didn't make a great first impression.

"Um, trigonometry. Shit! I didn't finish the homework." I quickly ran the half of hallway left to our bedroom and yanked the door open. I rummaged fast through my bag on the edge of the bed, got a pencil and sat down on the floor besides the bed to write the remaining problems quickly. This was not happening.

"Relax, Alice. Beast won't even remember to pick up. I guarantee that" she said. Sitting next to me I just ignored her.

"I think I have B.C. history right now. Well, talk to you later. Met me for lunch?" she said. I very fast pushed all the books back except the worksheet I was writing in and the pencil that remained on my hand after I slung the bag over my shoulder and shut the door in Guinness time.

"Hello, Alice" someone told me, but I was too busy finishing up to take any notice. I took a deep breath and focused to stop time, I didn't want to be late to class. After writing the last problem I reached the stairs. After putting the pencil I was through my urgently done ponytail, I looked forward since I left the room, a moment too late. We crashed, and I spun to the ground as he went completely head first.

"Damn, watch were you're going, Alice!" John said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you," I said. "But, then again, you weren't watching either" I retorted back at him, seeing ourselves both on the ground.

"You wouldn't want to be tardy, now would you?" I asked mischievously.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he said, quite confused. I froze him and gathered up again. Once standing over him, I let go.

"Fine, have it your way." I snapped at him. I walked quickly by him. I looked back at him. He was barely getting off the ground, too easy, I thought.

I looked at him, he glanced back. He ran to class, seeing the seconds pass like minutes before McCoy started. I with a fast movement was already at the end of the hall. I still had him in plain sight; other people who were still out started to move hurriedly to class as well. I entered, seeing how far behind John still was. I looked for a seat in the middle of the class. I sat and put on my best smile, he was about to come in, all red from running all the way down the hall. This is fun.

As he walked past my desk to the end of the room I whispered.

"I'll always be ahead, Pyro" calling him by his codename, to make it more impersonal, just what I wanted to do.

"You just wait, I'll have a comeback" he said to me, stopping besides me. I blinked, and put a puzzled look on my face.

"Mr. Allerdyce, unless you're asking Alice to give you tutorials please take a seat" Mr. McCoy scorned. He glared at me before obeying. At this, I turned my head to the front of the class, ready to pay attention. Class went by smoothly, thank god. I was able to finish the homework in class, which was a plus. When the bell rang I gathered my stuff to head to chemistry class.

"Like, do you know, like, what's happening to, like, Rogue?" Kitty squealed to me as she sat besides me in chemistry, again with McCoy, only that this time it was in another classroom, one that was in the med lab for advanced chemistry

"Like, no" I answered coldly. I focused on the lesson, I actually loved chemistry, and have even considered it as a profession, well, a basic in a profession that I might one day want to develop; anyhow, I wasn't in the mood for hushed small talk with her.

I tried to focus, but I had already seen nomenclature last year, so I started to allow my sight to wander to the window and down to the track field. There were about four guys with great chests playing basketball without their shirts, three of which I had seen shirtless before. I watched all of them intently. Yum.

"Alice, like, tune in" Kitty whispered to me.

"I already know this, Kit" I whispered back. I was too concentrated on those guys to think about still being sour the rest of the morning.

"Check those guys out" I whispered. She was sitting next to be, so she wasn't in the best view of the window, but still relatively close to it.

"Alice, like, how can you be so, like, horny? I'm not, like, gonna watch. Besides, like, I'm dating Bobby" she said. I was still amazed she had to use like that much, I thought that only happened in movies.

"So, it's official now?" I asked her, she blushed in response.

"That explains why you were late yesterday." I told her. She got a bit redder.

"Did you guys make out?" I asked her.

"Alice!" she exclaimed in a whisper.

"It wouldn't be the end of the world you know. Did you?" I asked again.

"No…"

"You, like, should kiss him, like, on you next date. Because, like, that's the best thing of a relationship." I mocked her, smiling. I was still staring at the basketball court.

"You're so, like, physical and not, like, emotional" she said, not in the least amused by my joke.

"Well, you wouldn't know how good the physical part is if you haven't kissed him yet" I shot back.

"Oh, like, excuse me, because, like, you have, like, so much, like, experience in that" she told me. She had just told me I was easy.

"I'm not easy!" I stated back. A bit too loudly than intended.

I could feel several eyes on me, including some behind my head. I blinked hard. Ugh, not again.

"I mean, nomenclature is really easy" I addressed her again, my eyes sparkling with rage. McCoy luckily wasn't too harsh; if it had been Ms. Munroe or Kurt he would have sent me to the principal's office, who is out sick at the moment.

"Alice, Kitty, would both of you be so kind as to pay attention?" the professor asked from us.

I sulked into my chair and started to take notes. If the professor would have allowed me to skip to eleventh instead of restarting tenth I'd pay more attention to most of my regular courses... I was already halfway through when I came here. He insisted that I must be in tenth because of my age. (I wanted to say sophomore, senior and junior, those terms, but I don't actually know which is which. haha) Soon enough my mind was wondering off again.

There were too many things going on inside me, too many things that still wondered in my mind that shouldn't be there anymore. A lot of things that I don't want to bear with any longer but won't let me be. I pressed two fingers between my eyes, I started seeing different lights form behind my closed lids. If I wanted to change who I was, I had to let go of the past, stop letting every minor detail haunt me. I know where I'm standing, I just don't know where I'm headed now. Somehow I felt that I could make this home. But that would need of an enormous amount of effort.

As I drifted off the professor's speech and stopped taking notes, my hand started doodling curly lines with thick thorns. As my hand wondered into a space different than my mind a thought crossed my head: I drink would help to clear my head of so much thinking, thoughts about things and persons that the least i wanted was to focus on now, but they seemed to rather grow in my head as buried thoughts started floating up. I was angered at myself for letting them, i didn't want my past catching up with me in any sense today.

* * *

won't you be a dear and review? 


	4. Frail Encounters

Disclaimer: My love for X·men not withstanding, i don't own them, except in my imagination, and off course that doesn't count.

* * *

CH4 Frail Encounters

* * *

After school I thought the mansion was too crowded for my thoughts, so decided to walk aimlessly around town once classes were up. Today hadn't been a very good day. By fifth period I had managed to get Kitty (after being sarcastic and nonresponsive to her in lab class wasn't something she appreciated much), also John wasn't very happy with me, I tried to talk to him and either he was not interested in talking for some damn bad reason or was pissed at me for something I had no clue about. Also Wolverine still didn't seem to even acknowledge my presence, which was definitely a bad thing during mechanics class, where I always have way too many questions. I also had few classes to which I actually paid attention. I forgot to meet Marie for lunch, was actually talking on the phone with my parents. I talked to Gambit again, he kept insisted on what he told me last night and I slapped him so he would back off me, it wasn't my responsibility in the least to make her trust him. Marie was certainly going to ask about that bruise on his cheek later on. Everything was a mess. I needed something that would help me clear my mind, I needed alcohol in my system, but I had no idea where to get some, nor anyone who'd willingly tell me something. I felt I was carrying around a burden that I didn't want. I found myself pretty far from the institute and yet not so close to reaching downtown Westchester. I couldn't help wanting to be by myself right now. 

"Lost something, doll?" a voice behind me tried to interrupt my thoughts. For a moment I thought I had imagined it, after all, my thoughts weren't actually taking in were I was nor anything about my surroundings, I just kept walking mechanically as a storm of thoughts raged inside me. Maybe I really should face those people who I don't want to, maybe it really would help to address them, but I just can't make myself do something like that. I hate confrontation, and even worse I hate remembering something I wish had never happened. The worse thing is that most of the really important things I had gone through with any romantic interesting I would always just don't want to talk about it, and in my mind try to make them all go away as if they had just been a bad dream, and to do so I pushed people I used to care about away. But then again, all of that, though I really don't want to face it, I most definitely should. I think that the professor is right; I don't like to deal with any kind of problems. And that's what makes me weak and vulnerable, and I don't like being weak.

"Lost something, doll?" a fierce masculine voice said behind me. Whoever it was grabbed my arm, jolting me back to reality. I saw a fairly old man with creepy glassy eyes and facial hair that was pressing my arm too hard. He was definitely drunk, not only by his look, but the stench coming from him. His grip on my arm was too tight.

"No" I spat at him acidly. He didn't let go. I felt that he whatever he wanted to do now wasn't good news. I was not in any mood to take any real action against him.

"I think you did lose something…" he answered, placing a glance of confusion that didn't fit him. Whatever he was trying to trick me into wasn't going to work. I had left my thinking paused.

"Excuse me, I don't like being harassed so would you please let go off my arm" I exclaimed, I pulled my arm away very roughly, which made him sorta lose his balance, before he grasped the other one, though managed not to fall down. But I made it sound as if I was trying my best to sound that I didn't want any trouble.

"I'd rather not, doll, you're coming with me" he shoved me towards a dark alley. I wasn't scared that he was thinking of taking advantage of me, frankly I was more scared that I'd use my powers and he'd freak out.

"Hey, watch it, jerk!" I said, taking a fast movement and releasing my arm from his grasp. He tried to grab it again but I thrust my open palm to his nose. He held his face.

"Damn" he shrieked into the hand covering his nose, the other one tried to grab me but his sight had been thrown off course by the hit. I did the only thing I could think of: I kicked him, He tended to his side, leaning against the wall. My perfect spot, against the wall. But he was still standing I didn't like that.

I got closer, he was in too much pain to try and grab and succeed at it.: "I'm gonna make you think twice about messing with me again" I said to him, not losing a beat.

"Uuh" was his only response; he was still in a lot of pain. I regained my posture. I placed a knee between his legs and shoved it as far up as it went. I leaned into him.

"Honey, I don't sell, I only play" I whispered to his ear as he slipped to the ground and crumpled there like trash. I left. Once I was out of eyesight I froze him. That would assure that he wouldn't follow me for a while.

Once I was back on the main street I started to pay attention to find my way to the mansion. I passed a record store and was tempted to go in, however I didn't, the fact that I was short on money encouraged me to spend it on a new bottle of shampoo that was a bit more important. And less expensive too.

I paid for the bottle, the receipt had the hour printed on it, I had a custom to check them all and save them. It said that it was 4:20. I decided it was time to head back to the mansion. That was before I saw John also leaving the store, I wonder if he had seen me there or just now.

"Hey, Pyro, been on any fires lately?" I saluted sarcastically.

"No, but I'm on fire, wanna put it out?" he said back cockily, once he noticed I noticed him, or simply that I was there. He actually had a fireball imprinted on the shirt he was wearing, oh, that's what he meant, I understood a completely different thing.

My mind suddenly went back to someone else I had seen with similar attire when I had made out with them. I shoved the thought to the back of my mind. I threw the bag over my shoulder and gave him a glance saying that I was amused by his line.

"Ja ja" I said coldly. Now that I remember, wasn't he mad at me?

"Oh, don't be like that, Sheila, every one should accept a joke" he said. He came close to me.

"You headed towards the mansion, too?" he questioned. If I was supposed to be scared or intimidated by his closeness, boy was he wrong.

"Dunno, do you know where I can get some alcohol?" I whispered into his ear, getting closer. The words simply slipped, accidentally, maybe.

"Huh? Alice, we're both underage, what makes you think I'd have anything?" he said puzzled.

"Aw, and here I thought you were not one to follow rules. I only thought that at least you should know where to get something, where's the local liquor store or any bar around here?" I insisted. "I've only been here for two and a half weeks."

"Fine," he said it as if I had tortured him to tell me "There's a liquor store about three blocks away. I'll take you there, but I'm not coming in!" he said, yeah, cuz he's the little boy scout. I don't know if he was trying to not seem happy about the thought of alcohol or he really wasn't into it.

"Suit yourself, lead the way, Pyro" I said.

"Hey, enough with that, you're acting like you don't know my name" he joked.

"Sorry, Jeff" I said, purposely.

"Earth to Alice, this is John"

"Right, let's go, John" We walked until we got there.

"Over here" he said when we were walking beside the empty store besides it. It was a small local. I peeked from the window. There was a man staring at a magazine, my guess Maxim, and he was pretty hot, maybe about twenty seven, not too old, and he was still yummy.

I took my schoolbag, since I usually had most everything in it and was much larger than a purse I opted to carry that thing around. Besides, it being messenger bag style made it very comfortable. I sat on a bench nearby and rummaged through it. I knew they were in there somewhere…

"Alice, Whatcha doing?" John said. "Aren't you gonna go in?" he said, cautiously, wondering if all this was just a practical joke.

"Yeah, just a few secs." After I finally found them I changed my shoes. Sometimes being short can be very bad. I stored my socks and flats and put on my heeled platform sandals. My school shoes were in too. I pulled on the waist of the pant I had been wearing downwards to my hips to make it look a bit tighter, and exposing a little too much of skin by Storm's book. I was wearing a v-neck shirt, so I just left it as it was. I stood up and glanced at John, he hadn't moved.

"Last chance, do you wanna join in?" I said for the last time.

"No, he's gonna ask me for papers anyway." He said.

"Oh, guapo, he's not gonna ask me for ID; besides, I _am _legal in Costa Rica. Drinking age is actually eighteen" I informed him.

"Whatever, this isn't Costa Rica." He had a point, but a bootylicious ™ babe is here and everywhere. "I won't take longer than ten minutes" I responded. When I opened the door there was no tinkling noise or whatnot, just the very unbearable squeak of a rusty door.

I poised myself and entered. I rummaged a bit, searching for the right thing, since it was a liquor store they'd have much more than beer, might as well search for my favorite drink…

Soon enough I had two medium bottles of it in my hands: Bailey's Irish Cream, yum, though before reaching the counter I was able to also find a bottle of unexpensive vodka to keep stashed to put in drinks every once in a while. I pulled my shirt a bit lower before approaching the counter. The yummy older guy was still there, I placed my two bottles on the top of his porn magazine. He looked up at me.

"How much, sexy?" I said confidently.

He took a long glance up and down my body before telling me the price. I smiled, more like bit my lower lip while playing with it. He shot a small I'm-horny-for-you glance and told me the price.

"Forty three sixty" he said looking at me. I took the emergency bills I commonly keep near my breast and handed it to him. I placed them on the counter and then reached a hand deeply into my butt pocket to grasp all my spare change. A five, two ones and a few coins materialized. That should cover it. I grabbed the ones back.

He counted the change as I placed my crossed arms upon my upper body on his counter comfortable and looked at the magazine. Yep, it was porn. He blushed a bit when he noticed that I had been seeing that. I moved more comfortably and placed one arm completely on the counter letting my hand dangle freely on the other side and posed my head upon it.

"Not getting much action, sexy?" I said. I didn't even watch him nod but I knew that was the case. I stood up, my teeth still pressing upon my bottom lip, and took his pen from a pocket and wrote my phone number on the top of two breasts on the magazine, I put in a fake name: Marissa. I didn't want him to get a connection to the institute. However, it was not the first time I did something of the sort.

I took the change into my back pocket and he placed my bottles on a brown paper bag. I smiled sweetly and turned, making sure to move my hips just a bit more than I commonly did. At the door I winked.

Knowing that John had been out there all the time, and probably spying, I went ahead into talking to him.

"So, whatcha think, John?" I said. Back to my un-sexy self. I cocked my head to the side expecting an answer, since he didn't give any I stashed the purchase in the schoolbag and crossed it over my head

"Come on, next time I come here you have to come actually go in with me. There are always tricks to getting what you want, don't you agree?" I said. He was still in shock, and I was not the one to insist on him. I pushed him a bit so he would walk, but just that. I had my own tempo to go to. By the next block I knew that he was walking so I called to him over my shoulder.

"John, please get over here, I feel like your staring at my butt" I exclaimed.

No answer. I continued my way; the mansion was pretty close now.

"Not a bad view, Alice," he said in a barely audible tone, but I heard him.

"I heard that!" I said, but I wasn't complaining, there's nothing wrong in watching.

"Alice, wait up" he came out of it all of a sudden. I thought it was about time. "So, you're the type that uses their bodies to get what she wants…" he peered towards me keenly. I glanced over to him.

"Only when it's necessary." I answered defensively.

"Right…" he wondered off. I pushed him forward to show that I was offended by his comment.

We reached the mansion and it was nearly five. We were not talking, but luckily there wasn't an uncomfortable silence, at least on my behalf.

"Alice, you okay?" he asked. I nodded.

"Alice" he touched my elbow. I glanced at him. "You're thing your creepy thinking thing again." He explained.

"Why are you so freaked by my thinking? Don't you think things every once in a while?" I retorted, a bit unamused.

"Yeah, I do think, I'm not one of those rash people that never consider before acting. Just that you do it a bit too much. And in very odd places too, might I add" he commented.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I threatened. I closed the door behind me as we entered the lobby of the mansion.

"Alice!" Wolverine turned towards me as soon as I had closed it. What did I do now? I searched for something that maybe I had to do for him. Then I remembered.

"Picha" I said to myself before addressing him, "I forgot, I am so sorry, Logan! I was trying to clear my head and I wondered off in the wrong direction and this guy came up to me and tried to harass me." I half lied, but it was partly true.

"What's makes you think I'm buying that." He scolded me. Now I was in for a lot of trouble.

"But it's true! I was on the other side of town and this guy came out of nowhere and tried to harass me." I exclaimed. Now I even believed my own story.

"And you have never faced anything of the sort? Had no idea what to do? Was so scared that you pissed in your pants? Accidentally froze him? Didn't know how to fight back? Please, you really think something bad that you couldn't cope with happened and you arrive at the mansion an hour later and pretty freshly, might I add." He lectured me. I tried to pay attention, but John's mocks behind him mad it a bit difficult. "And you, where were you too? You ought to remember that danger room practice started about ten minutes ago?" he shot back at him, I was glad he was getting in a bit of trouble as well.

"I was…" he started to think of an excuse. If he blew where I had been I'd be so grounded…

"Out, with me. I ran into him afterwards I handled my problem and we went to have a… a walk around town, he was showing me some places I didn't know. We must've lost track of time." I said. Leaning in closer to where he was.

Logan seemed a bit disgusted with my movements, so he pointed towards where he should be going and left.

"Don't even think twice about what I did, it was just because I didn't need to get in any more trouble because I had to buy this." I patted where I had placed my liquor. "Don't get your hopes up, fire boy" I stated dryly before heading upstairs, he did have danger room practice anyways to which I didn't have to go. I got in my room, my shared room, I was going to turn the lock but then I remembered Marie and Kitty would probably need to get in soon. Darn. I needed to think things over. Firstly, my actions with John. God, could I have been any more stupid? What on earth made me do that? I am slowly getting farther away from what I need and leaning willingly into so many unwanted troubles.

"Picha, tiene que haber una manera o algo de que piense mas las cosas. Últimamente no pienso las cosas importantes. Maldita mierda, maldito John, ojala nunca me hubiera perdido alla." I scorned myself. I needed some alone time, that was like ultimately impossible inside the mansion, so going to walk around the grounds with a breeze coming around sounds nice. I liked that thought; also, nature always helps me keep things straight anyhow. I went outside through the back door, only about three people were exempted from danger room practice. I crossed the soft grass leaving my high heels behind, enjoying being barefoot, it was a beautiful spring. The sun was poking towards the edge of town. I saw a heavily knotted tree and decided that it was a good option to sit and wonder besides it. My eyes wondered to its top. You can only guess who I saw there. He hadn't apparently noticed me. So I decided to take advantage of that and settle on the soft moist grass beside me. (Damn, there must be a way I consider things before doing these rash actions I've been doing recently. Lately I don't think the important things through. Damn it, John, I wish I hadn't gone for that stroll)

I took a deep breath, waited for a few seconds, then I let it out slowly. I tried to clear my mind but so many things came up. Costa Rica, Mike, Mutation, Time, Logan, School, John, and time, especially time.

I tried to not think too much but thoughts were crowding me too much, for a moment I wished that it was all a dream. That all the last year of my life hadn't actually happened. I didn't like any of my past actions. I was being too… impulsive, my strength of mind was quavering. My doubts were being unheard. I was going too fast. When did I change from a normal school outcast to this impulsive freak? I could no longer recognize myself, and I had to do something about that. The question is what.

_Turn down the memories of yesteryears and broken dreams I bring_

_Finally free_

_Slowly drifting into a peaceful breeze_

_Slowly drifting into a peaceful breeze_

_Tongue tied and twisted are all my memories_

_Celebrating a fantasy come true_

_ - Christina Aguilera_

* * *

**please review!**


	5. Feeling it through

Disclaimer: I own only Alice and the plot, and the translations i made myself, not with a sucky onlice translator :P

* * *

CH5 Feeling it through

* * *

Not shortly after, I decided to go inside again. Thinking stuff through was only good for the first few hundred times, after that your thoughts get in the way of actually doing something about it. But I still hated all of this. I stretched, my life seemed to be going at a faster pace than me, which may sound odd given that I can actually stop things around me.

"P'tite, aidez-moi" a voice in front of me talked as I was stretching my arms towards the sky. I wonder who that could be… (small one, help me. )

"No" I answered in a Spanish I'm-not-swallowing-any-of-your-bullshit-today tone. So maybe I was a bit pissed for no good reason, but his presence wasn't precisely the most soothing one.

"P'tite, what did ol' Remy evah do agains' ye?" if he thought him thickening his accent was going to make me condescending, oh boy was he wrong.

"Ahora no, Gambit" I answered. This wasn't a good time, couldn't he see that. (not now)

"S'il vous plait?" he answered trying to seem romantic and French, maybe it's a good combo, on a romantic gal not a depressed and in deep trouble teenager with confrontation issues. (please)

"No es un buen momento, no siga insistiendo, no le conviene" I threatened him. Not that it was going to do any good, but i might as well try. (now is not a good time, don't keep bugging me, you really don't want to)

"Pourquoi c'est qui toi c'est très triste?" what does he know about me? Who the hell does he think he is? ( Why are your feeling so sad?)

"No pretendas que si te importa, maldito" I looked at him, I was avoiding his face all the while. I seeked beneath those sunglasses and blinked at him. (Don't pretend to care, asshole)

But he had managed to do something before I froze him, he kept a lit card in his back. I could hear it about to explode. Damn, I really was getting irritated by him. I unfroze him.

"No boom?" he asked. I glared acidly at him.

"Bien, maintenant ecoutez-moi" he seemed glad by all this. I stretched my back and made sure he was observing something a bit below my shoulders. It was now or never, he wasn't going to be fast enough to stop staring and lit a card, I hoped. (good, now hear me out)

After freezing him I turned my back and walked all the way back to the back door. I tiptoed to my room, once there I went out to the verandah, just as I thought I had a clear view of him rooted to the spot.

I blinked once more, unfreezing his lame butt, I also saw an anything but happy look from him, followed by some mutterings, that I assumed were curses. A bit entertained, I laughed a little.

"What's so funny?" I heard behind me, trouble. This was not exactly a good situation for anybody to see. Gambit was still quite visible, but there was really nothing I could do about this. I needed a cover story, fast.

"Seems to be that you're being stalked, girl" I joked. Marie blushed, noticing Gambit walk away. He had stopped, turned, he saw both of us standing on the verandah.

I gave him a quick smirk, he however, started walking back when he saw Marie waving and smiling broadly at him. I decided to skip this.

"Use protection, hon" I warned her, laughed and kept walking, not turning to see her expression, knowing how highly unentertained she was by that comment.

"Not funny, Alice" she stated dryly, under her breath, so that I could hear her but the special someone on his way still thought she was smiling.

I swatted an imaginary fly away as I closed the door and turned to my assignment at hand: homework. However, it seemed to be a little harder to concentrate with the voices.

"Chere, this time wit'out ye 'as been unbearable." he started. Ugh, I didn't want to hear this for an entire evening. Even though I knew it would be extremely noisy and very crowded, much to my displeasure, I was going to have to go to the library. I'm not in the mood to hear those two sucking up to each other. I may sound a bit of a hypocrite, but it's nothing like that really, I just don't believe in romance anymore, I am happy, for them. Also, I was, in my way, giving them their personal space as well. But what I can say is that I love when she tells me all about it, sounds weird, I know, but it's what I do. Just… you get my drift, I'm just not looking right now.

I walked down to the library. For a moment it seemed to be very far away. I let that thought go as I reached the big oak doors.

As I had figured, it was too noisy. Jubilee and Kitty were giggling over some teen magazines.

And the boys seemed to be roaring while they saw some, I hope it was, cars magazine. I tried to study for my lit midterm, but it seemed to go nowhere. After reading about Shakespeare's sonnets for the fourth time, still none of it was getting through to me.

Suddenly, but not unexpectedly a mental noise got everyone's attention. The professor requested us all to gather in the living room, I hoped this was all okay. I went there as slow as I could, and not really willingly. After reading the tenth sonnet and once the whole library was empty, I sighed deeply and walked towards the meeting. I couldn't help but think that this was going to be something irrelevant and quite boring. As I was getting closer I heard the professor talk, I wasn't much concerned about whatever he was talking about, but I didn't want to interrupt his talk, so I did what I do best.

I froze all the room, entered cautiously, in case anyone was standing behind the door, and sought a spot in which almost nobody would notice that I had just arrived. From there, I unfroze everyone. The professor then continued talking.

"This has come to my attention and I am greatly concerned" he looked around and noticed me, _Thanks for joining, Alicia, _I heard in my mind. I nodded towards him. "I hope that we can all do an effort to avoid leaving the grounds seeing as the anti mutant movements have increased, our location is still known by few, but I fear somebody might try to pinpoint us out if they see too many odd things going around." He talked with poise, but in his eyes you could read the worried look that he had. I senses that something more serious than what he was telling us had happened. He looked briefly on each of us; I felt that he scanned for any thoughts that might be relevant about this. I quickly focused all my thoughts on any object of the room, I always felt quite off when someone was able to see me so openly. I noticed Gambit on the other side of the room seemingly doing likewise, he was besides Marie and he absently took a swirl of her hair every so often.

"You are dismissed, Gambit, Alice and Rogue, can I please have a word?" he said. I thought I knew what was going to happen. I instinctively locked my eyes with hers, we tried to communicate. _I'll deal with the consequences, _she told me. _You don't have to go through this alone,_ I replied, but I wondered what consequences she was talking about… Her more than friends status with Remy, or our late night excursions.

"Alice, something tells there's something your keeping to yourself." he said, I noticed that while I was talking to Marie everyone else had left.

"I don't mean to be mean, professor, but it's completely not relevant, it's okay" I said, a bit embarrassed, he noticed that I avoided his glare.

"And you, Remy, what is your excuse?" he asked, turning to Gambit.

"Remy no like anybody probing around in his head, a real man asks directly" he stated, i thought that a bit uncalled for but said nothing.

"Not at all." He said. "Can you give me your word that you won't display your powers outside of the school grounds?" He asked directly.

"Remy can try" he said cockily. I rolled my eyes, and I'm sure Marie wanted to too. He looked towards Marie; she seemed to shrink in her seat.

"Rogue," he directed his attention to her. "I think I had told you a few years back that sitting on the roof during the night doesn't agree with school rules nor curfew" she lowered her head and nodded.

"Since when?" I couldn't help asking.

"Since always, Alice" he told me. "And yes, the same goes for you" he told me. But the roof was so comfortable… Where else will I be able to relax? In the room with Kitty's snores or incessant ramblings?

"Fairly well." He said, clearing his throat. Marie seemed to have regained her composture, as she stood tall between us two.

"Dat's it?" Gambit asked.

"No," the professor said. "Gambit, I don't think your relationship with Rogue is proper" I think I screamed in my head.

"Alice?" he looked at me.

"What?...I mean, yes, sir?" I asked keenly. He must've heard me.

"Any comment?" I shook my head quickly. Rogue bit on her bottom lip and Gambit stood defiantly besides Xavier.

"What's dat supposed t' mean?" he asked.

"You're almost twenty one and she's just eighteen." He said. Right… and the problem was? Geez, it's not like Logan and Jean were that close in age.

"Alice!" he said to me. What did I do know? He looked at me thinking of the correct words to say.

"Either you stop thinking so loud or you leave" he looked at me in a death glance I didn't quite like. Oh, mierda. I nodded and started to let my mind wonder off.

"Professah" Rogue interrupted. "If Ah might say," I loved how her southern drawl thickened when she got emotional. "It's not like anything gonna happen, I mean, I'm still untouchable" she stated the obvious. You go, gal! Put him in place!

"Alice!" I tried not to feel threathened. "You're dismissed" he looked once at me and then continued with the other two. I left hastily, trying not to think.

I waited outside, knowing Marie would tell me everything as soon as she saw me. I tried not to overhear, but I knew that I wanted to know anyways. I felt that Marie was very frustrated and confused but that was it, I didn't hear anything. Or maybe nobody talked at all.

"Fair enough, you are both dismissed," he said. As soon as they walked through the door I stood up quickly. Gambit opened the door and let her pass. She looked at me, too gloomy. We embraced ourselves tightly, and locked together, careful of her skin, I knew that her friendship was the most valuable thing I have ever possessed, I had never been so truthful with anyone, never. Gambit noticed that we didn't want to be interrupted and went on.

We went silently, but I had a very big urge to talk. However, I could sense that she didn't want to. Then I wondered, is it possible that pausing time isn't the only attribute of my mutation? I considered this as I felt the emotions that Marie was feeling, sadness, fondness, melancholy and most of all love. I also wondered if it was all her, but maybe a part was indulged by Gambit upon her, I had no idea to what extent his empathetic capacity expanded. As I wondered and felt, things similar to what Marie was feeling, I decided I needed to address an important matter to Gambit.

"So, you wanna help me with Biology homework?" she asked. I looked at her and nodded,

"Just let me get my stuff from the library," I replied, I was thinking that I needed to study lit, but also that maybe Spanish wasn't the only thing Marie needed help with right now. I walked into the library, she waited at the door, the mayhem and confusion in there was shocking, I took a deep breath and ventured to the desk in which I had left my stop, ignoring my curiosity for whatever was happening because I knew I shouldn't take long.

"Yo, Alice," I looked back to see who was talking to me, Kurt was walking towards me, I decided to play a bit with him. I froze him, walked right up to him, and unfroze him in my last step.

"Wazzup?" I told him. He didn't see that coming and transported backwards a few feet out of shock.

"Don't do that!" he said, I laughed, he then laughed too. I loved his odd laugh.

"Couldn't stop myself, sorry" I said. I stopped laughing.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" I asked again. He started thinking, usual Kurt, already forgotten.

"Ya, I vas vondering if you'd like to attend the German classes I'm starting, it's just a small group: Beast and Bobby and you, if you're interested." I nodded

"Sounds interesting." I actually have always loved languages, and I didn't know any german, even though I had some long lost German descent in my family. "When and how?" I asked him, he was a professor, but I saw him more lika friend.

"Possibly Saturday evenings, when Beast and I aren't that busy" I asked with my eyes. "Okay, the only time Beast wanted to spare." That seemed more likely.

"Oh, Kurt, do you have the subject outline for tomorrows test?" he shook his head. "I can get you one for dinnertime" I smiled and acknowledged that I'd see him later, I walked away. I reached my stuff, I grabbed everything hurriedly and left quickly. Rogue must've gone already I thought as I opened the door. Nope, she was right there.

"That took a while" Marie commented.

"Kurt got in my way," I replied shortly.

"Mm" she said. "He thinks you're very hot, you know" she said, as if to joke a bit, he's a bit too old… not to mention blue.

"I know I am hot, darling" I joked back. And laughed a bit, "As are you, we're the two hottest things in this institute…well, apart from Pyro, but not in the sense we're talking about" she held her stomach from all the laughing that caused her.

"But," she tried to talk between her fit of laugher "you know," it was incredible! She just couldn't stop. Sometimes she had these laughs take over her, but never walking in the corridor, what I lovely sight we'd be if someone saw us just then. "John is kinda hot" she said, and continued to laugh.

"I can't believe you when you say it like that, hon" I replied, still laughing. We finally reached the door, and were still laughing so hard that tears seemed to about to drop. I tried to calm myself, but seeing Marie still laughing so much and so hard made it impossible.

I did, however, manage to hold my laugh when I saw what was happening in the room. Marie still hadn't noticed when I stopped laughing, but managed to hold it back into a giggle as she noticed too.

"Are we interrupting?" but we most definitely had, Kitty, had not only turned red, but was no longer in the room for when we noticed. But she wasn't smart enough to phase her boyfriend, as only her arm was left as she tried to grab him.

"Er, I was just leaving" Bobby said. I froze them both, I had to have my laugh. I stepped near to Kitty's grasping hand. I unfroze them quickly, Bobby stared wide eyed at me, my guess he had no idea what my power was. I smiled to him and Marie as Kitty pulled me down hard. I felt a very tingling sensation when I passed through the floor, but it faded quickly as I fell on top of Kitty in the room downstairs.

After this whole thing, I heard the loudest laugh I had ever heard in my life coming from upstairs. I started laughing too. Kitty threw me the dirtiest look she could muster without cracking up too, but it was in vain. As I continued to laugh from her face, her blush grew deeper. I could feel how puzzled and irritated Bobby was about all this. Plus now feeling very uncomfortable in the room with his ex girlfriend.

"Well, that was fun" I managed to say between laughs. Kitty tried to straighten her face once more. "Do I want to know how much of a good time you guys were having?" I asked her, getting only a really mad expression from her.

"If either of you tell… I will tell everyone the dirtiest secret I can dig up about both of you," she threatened through gritted teeth. I didn't think much of it, mainly because I had no secret that could be dug up here. As for Remy and Marie… the professor knew, shit, but Wolverine didn't!

"Okay, I'll be quiet, just get us up again." I asked modestly. My laughter had finally calmed down.

"I can't go up, just down, she said.

"Well, then what's better than to scare the other two?" I answered. I looked up and concentrated on Marie and Lance. I froze them in a blink of my eyes. "Let's go" I said, as I got to my feet and started towards the stairs."

"You know, Alice, sometimes you abuse too much of your power" she said, I froze her and walked right over to where she was. "It's not abuse! It's Just me having fun, just for the sake of it." I said. Taken aback by that, she phased through the ground again. I restrained my laughter as I heard her stomping in the underground level.

I quietly and quickly walked back to our room. I unfroze both of them before I got in, I wasn't actually very willing to get into a question session with Bobby. As my hand reached the doorknob I heard Kitty's stomps halfway through the stairs and opened the door slowly. I saw Marie and Bobby on opposite ends of the room, and couldn't help but grin to myself.

"What the hell was all that?" Bobby glanced at me. I took a deep breath trying to seem that I was momentarily lost for words when really I was trying to stop laughing. Seeing Marie holding back a laugh didn't really help much. I sensed someone highly un-entertained and extremely angry Kitty behind me. I tried to find my voice, I saw that Marie was nowhere near gaining her composture to speak… I wonder what she did the while that took Kitty and I to get here… Oh, I had frozen them… I'd forgotten that slight detail.

"Um, I'm sorry, Bobby, and am I extremely sorry, Kitty" I told them, first things first. "Marie and I were coming from this meeting with the professor and we started telling jokes and we… well, we cracked up and were in such a contagious fit of laughter that we still had it when we entered. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, but then again… The look on Kitty's face when I phased through instead of Bobby was priceless" I squinched my face, "Sorry!" I defended myself again.

"Well, like, I wasn't amused, like, by any little part of it. So, like, next time please knock." She said, her face was still red, but not from blushing but rather from anger. Lance kept quiet. She looked at him, trying to cool herself down.

"Like you knock" Rogue responded, I was about to laugh again but stopped myself.

"I'd better leave" Bobbyexcused himself, lamely if you asked my opinion." He pecked Kitty on the cheek and gave a glance to us before leaving through the still open door and closing it behind him.

"So, we" I told Kitty, "want to continue, rather start, studying for Spanish." I informed. Plopping on my bed I started rummaging through my bag. Marie did likewise.

"Suit yourselves, personally I think that subject is a waste of time, I'm on the other hand studying for something really important that neither of you would get: Honors Literature, so take that" Marie glared confusedly at her. "Besides, it's not really a course if Alice's giving it."

"No need to get so bitchy, Kit, and at least we're not critiquing you about your choice of courses" she said to her, lowering her voice to a barely inaudible whisper for the last part.

"Kathryn, I'm sorry to tell you this, but I can't just bit my tongue down" she leered at me, I continued. "Learning another language is not a waste of time, yeah I already know Spanish and the professor asked to teach some basics for those interested, but so what?" I hated her closed mind at cultural variety. "Look, I think it is good to learn other languages, if I hadn't we wouldn't be able to communicate" that pretty much worked to keep her anger behind her tongue, her glare tensed a little before realizing I was right. But I wasn't done.

"And, just so you know" she ignored me, thinking I was ready to insult her or worse. "I'm in honors lit too" I said, and that's that.

I, however couldn't focus on Spanish, and went to my thoughts once again. Marie was lying on her bed reviewing Spanish conjugations. I just then remembered my assignment for Ms. Monroe, she claimed I was sleeping in class, not doing anything and still was the best average, so she assigned two essays: one about the arms race before the Second World War and the other one that would relate that to modern day terrorism, including the history of terrorism in this century. It was quite interesting actually. I went to take out my computer to work on that. Even though it was due in two weeks, that meant I had all the time in the world.

Kitty had taken out her ipod and was listening to music, for some reason I assumed it was Hilary Duff or Lindsay Lohan, or maybe Brittney. But I remembered the menace she gave me not that long ago… she might find and divulge the _"dirtiest secret I can dig up"_ That made me shudder slightly.

"You okay, Alice?" Marie noticed.

"Just cold" I lied automatically, which she could tell I was, but didn't question any further.

"I can't concentrate!" I finally let out, burned in frustration. Not in lit, which was a pressing matter, not in history, not in any of the important things of my life that needed attention.

"I'm gonna flunk my lit exam tomorrow so badly" was the only thing I could think of saying. Damn those Shakespeare sonnets!

_I've got a wicked sense for trouble_

_And I'm never, never satisfied_

_Yeah, I'm a whole lot of trouble_

_-Christina Aguilera_

* * *

Pretty please, review? I'll bake you a cake!  



	6. Not in Control

Disclaimer: i only own Alice.

* * *

Ch 6

I hate being a light sleeper. I had had enough of Remy's incessant tapping for the last half an hour. Stubbornly I got out of bed. I threw the covers of with wrath and stomped to the balcony. I checked my pants hadn't fallen to far down and opened the curtain.

"She's asleep!" I mouthed harshly.

"Remy dit pas ça" he told me. I rolled my eyes and pretended to yawn. "I want to talk to you" he told her. She was too tired to care and decided to hear him, hoping she'd forget all of this tomorrow. (Remy never said that)

"Talk" she prompted him once outside, I instantly felt too cold from the breeze that hit her.

"Trois things" he started. "Un, what was going on with you and the professor today?" he asked. I didn't expect him to ask that.

"Apparently I was projecting my thoughts" I told him. "I was a bit emotional I think" I responded.

"Très bien," he seemed to think about it for a few seconds. "Deux, I heard about your little display of power in the danger room"

"What about it?" I asked.

"You could show Marie a thing or two" he told me.

"Rogue's good at fighting" I didn't know what he meant.

"Oui, mais you should train with her as well" he told me.

"Whatever" I was too tired.

"What Remy means is, you have control. You keep your entire self in check when you're fighting, Marie… she worries too much to do anything completely." He told. Oh, that kind of pointers.

"You think that if she stopped thinking of her powers she'd be a better fighter and possibly a better girlfriend too?" I asked him.

"Oui, help her clear her thought and so. She has a special bond with you, I feel it everything you two are together" he told me. Damn his empathy, he probably also saw right through me.

"Sure, I'll work in that focus thing with her" I told him.

"Merci, and another thing" i was beginning to turn when I realized he wasn't done.

"Mm?" I asked tiredly.

"About the other night.." I knew what he was talking about, and I knew that it wouldn't work.

"It doesn't work" I told him.

"Toi essayer?" he asked me.

"Hell, no." I answered quickly. "I did think about it, and it doesn't make sense"

"Vrai, Remy was wrong" he told me. Whoa, I didn't think he was the kind of guy to simply accept when he was wrong. Maybe he's not so egocentric as I thought he was.

"Well, good night, Alice" he told and started to make his way and jump to the next balcony.

"Remy!" I called to him quickly. He stopped abruptly.

"How does it feel?" I asked him. He looked at me puzzled. "To have empathy?" I asked him.

"Mos' of the time it's good, knowing what people feel towards you" he told me. "Then you know what the best thing to do is." I gave him a look when he said that.

"But sometimes it's not as good. Sometimes you feel someone's pain and suffering or the feeling of being incomplete and all alone in a situation where you can do nothing" he told me. "If you'd let me in, I can help you" he told me.

"That's not what I meant" I told him. "I can handle that stuff on my own, and I should try to push down the feelings." I let on. He stood still, realizing I had something more to say.

"I think I'm developing" I told him.

"You gonna get your period soon?" he asked me. I laughed.

"No! Not like that, recently I can feel someone's feelings, well, mostly Marie and the other day Wolverine and John" I told him. "I just wanted to know if it was real or if I was just imagining things" I told him.

"What did you feel?" he asked me.

"Well, I was late for danger room session and I could sense that Wolverine was quite frustrated that I was a no show when he was willing to help me out thoroughly" I shared. I dared a glance at my wristwatch and saw the time. Two thirty. Damn it's late, I won't be able to get up today.

"Huh," he rubbed his chin "You could have empathy" he told me. "Remy has trouble sensing you, which could explain that as well" he told me.

"Wow" I gasped. Wasn't it just amazing when a suspicion turned out to be right?

"Quoi?" he asked me.

"Thanks" I said. "See you tomorrow" I smiled to myself after I was facing the room and he was making to leave also. I tried to probe into him. Nothing, actually, I'm not surprised empaths put up mental shields of their own. I could try tomorrow. I slipped inside silently, but still couldn't wash the smile off my face. I made my way quietly and sat on my bed. I stretched lazily before slumping down.

"Like, where have you been?" Kitty asked as she turned on her own light. I closed my eyes as the sudden light blinded me harsh.

"On the roof" I lied automatically.

"Right, like, I'd, like, believe that" she told me.

"Yeah, I was" I told her.

"Counting stars?" she asked me. Wow, a phrase without like.

"What's it to you anyways?" I told her.

"Why can't you just tell me? I've been trying to be your friend since you've been here and you've done nothing to try!" she told me.

"I'm sorry, I'm just really tired, Kit" I told her. "Truth is I was having a drink out in the balcony…" I knew I had to come up with something else fast. "With John" I lied quickly.

"What?!" I looked towards Marie to check that she hadn't woke her.

"Be quiet, allright!" I asked of her. "I went there by myself to have a drink and ran into him having a smoke" I told her. "So we shared, turns out neither of us could slep" I came up with lamely.

"Oh," she was expecting something juicier than that, I was certain.

"You seem disappointed" I told her.

"It's nothing, I just thought there was something between you two" she told me.

"Nah, maybe someday though" might as well leave that one open. "But I don't really know him, and with his past as a bad boy I don't think I want to get involved with that." I told her. "I think I had already told you I was not easy" I let on. She nodded.

"But you do have a boyfriend back home?" she asked me. I shook my head.

"What about that guy you were talking on the phone with the first week?" she asked.

"Oh, Damien" I told her. "He's like a brother to me, but there was this other guy that I was kinda going out with, but he was gentleman enough to call me and tell me she was going to date someone else, though I didn't think he needed to ask me." I told her.

"OH, that's sweet!" she told me.

"Kit, I've been meaning to ask you…" I started. She looked at me curiously. "I know it's been a while, but still…" she kept looking. "I mean, cuz I only heard Rogue's version…" she saddened a little,

"Oh" she didn't want to talk about it "I never did anything with Bobby while they were together, sure he was nice and stuff,… but nothing of the sort." She told me. "But I know that Rogue and I saw what Bobby was doing and neither was correct enough to talk to each other, sure I constantly reminded him that she was his girlfriend, but he wouldn't listen" she told me all this as if telling her best friend. I realized that she was just misunderstood. Even while living with so many people it could become hard to find your place.

"I'm sorry, Kit" I told her. She shrugged. "I think everyone's okay now" she responded. "I mean, I had never seen Rogue as happy with Bobby as she is now with Remy" I smiled.

"Yeah, that's because Remy knows how to read her." I told her.

"What?" she told me.

"He's an empath, doesn't everyone know?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"Aw, that kinda sucks." She told me. "Why?" I was confused.

"Because it would have been more amazing if the did all the right things and knew just when and how to smile without knowing we want it" she told me. So she thought he was hot too? Geez, take a break. He's not that hot. Well, he´s toned and has good abs and that smooth back… Wait, he was taking advantage of his empathy to get whatever he wanted!

"Kit, do you think a guy would be so low as to trick a girl into falling for him?" I told her.

"What? Remy and Rogue?" she asked me.

"It kinda makes sense, Kit" I told her. "Marie has never been happier than now, right? She has always been afraid to touch and befriend people, correct me if I'm wrong. I think that if I had showed up before Remy did i wouldn't have the relationship I currently have with her" I shared.

"God, that's ugly" she told me. "Do you really think that's possible?" she asked me.

"If he can manage his empathy that much, he was very well turn Marie's new-guy interest into something she never really felt in the first place while nothing being real" I told her. "I wonder what would happen if I took Rogue a bit far from him for a whole day, I mean, they also practically spend every second together.

"Let's have a day at the mall this Saturday, take her and see if she changes during the course of the day" she suggested. I nodded. I felt terrible, how had I not seen this before? And he's been doing the same to me to help him out, but since now I'm developing this new capacity he's not so able to push feelings into me.

"I like the idea" I told her.

"Good." She shut off the light. "It was good talking to you, Alice" she told the darkness.

"It was good talking to you too, Kitty" I told her. I tried to sleep, but my brain was like a beehive with too many thoughts in it. I couldn't help thinking about Gambit and his relationship with Marie. I couldn't believe Kitty could actually talk for half an hour without saying like. And I was so happy, I had suddenly realized that I could really fit in here and be happy about it too. I took a deep breath and remembered the meditating exercises I was thought to clear my head. Soon enough I drifted to sleep.

* * *

"I need you to use your fists, Alice!" Logan called from upstairs. I rolled my eyes. I was doing just fine, sure, I hated doing skirmish with the guys, but I still tried my best. . Angel was benched while John kept missing his punches. Maybe being short and flexible did have it's good side. I put some distance between us and beckoned him to come towards him. He arched his eyebrows, I smirked at him and for a second left my fighting stance to cock my hip to the side. Sure, I was wide open for him to try and have a go at me. A few seconds and he'd be disarmed on the floor. I saw him walk quickly towards him and aim his punch towards my ribs. He barely noticed me encircle around him too quickly as he was too focused on the energy on his fist. I was standing besides him instead of in front of him. His badly aimed punch sent him off balance. I grabbed him so he wouldn't fall. 

"You okay?" I asked, concerned. He regained his balance before answering.

"Ye.." too slow. I pushed my knee up to his groin, not so hard but hard enough. He didn't hit the floor, his whole weight went into me. I tried to not fall, but he was damn heavy when he was leaning completely on me.

"John, I can't hold you" I whispered harshly in his ear.

"Huh?" was all he said. I looked across the room. Logan was trying to figure us out. Angel was midway between standing.

"Any of you guys mind helpind me, here?" I asked not to nicely. Suddenly I felt dizzy… What the hell… Suddenly I felt myself getting hot and my limbs started to weaken.

"Mierda!" I said as I felt myself stumbling down. John still leaning on my shoulder. Angel got there just in time and caught me. But, I was unable to keep a hold of john. He was on the floor in seconds. As soon as I was in Warren's arm I felt dizzy again.

"Alice, are you okay?" I nodded softly. His arms felt so nice around me. But I didn't let myself stand up straight, which I knew I could. I must've been quite a sight, because suddenly I was staring, half dazedly, at his abs right in front of me. As I started feeling hot again I suddenly realized what had gotten into me. I quickly disentangled myself from him and walked a few steps, taking deep breaths as I did so. I must've seemed like I was hyperventilating, but I was just trying to control myself.

"Alice!" I heard Logan roar from the other side of the room. Damn… That does not sound so good. I looked at him. I had gone through my phase, I was okay. Besides, it was still too early in the morning. I broke eye contact with me… he probably smelled me all along.

"Angel, take Pyro to the infirmary. He needs … rest" was all he said. Angel tried not to look so dumbstruck and tried to pull Pyro up. But Pyro wouldn't budge. Hence, Logan went towards him.

"Pyro, get over it" he practically screamed in his ear. Pyro was either daydreaming or in pain because he didn't even acknowledge his trainer. Warren looked towards me, he didn't say it, but I could see in his eyes the puzzlement and curiousness he had towards what I had done. Come on, I just kicked him in the groin. Angel turned to look at Pyro again…

Suddenly I realized that Logan would surely have a row at me once Pyro regained himself. I froze them momentarily and crossed the room to the side they were in, and continued on to the door and let myself out. Once out I unfroze the three and made my way to the locker room. I'd deal with that later.

I started taking deep breaths again.. what the hell was the matter with me? I walked trying to piece myself together, unaware of anybody around me. Finally I reached the girls locker room. I was hoping there wouldn't be anyone there, but Jubilee and Siryn were they, I smiled at them and continued to the back of the room to the showers. I quickly undressed and took a cold shower. That was exactly what I needed. As the water streamed down my back, breasts and stomach I let it was away everything… the sweat, the dirt… the horniness.

_There's no need to feel no shame _

_Relax and drink upon my champagne _

_Cause I'm gonna give you a little taste _

_Of the sugar below my waist _

_You nasty boy _

_-Christina Aguilera _

A few minutes later I felt much better and ready to go to class. Mr. McCoy would hate me if I was late, so I quickly went to my locker room to change.

Except, it seemed that the troubles of the day didn't seem to be over just yet. I didn't have any clean regular clothes in there… that meant that I'd have to go all the way to my room in my bathtowel. I scorned myself for being caught in such a dilemma.

I sat in bench of the lockers and relaxed myself completely. If this had worked once, I didn't see why it wouldn't work now. I took a deep breathe and allowed myself to relax completely. Then I let my thoughts wonder to the rhythm of seconds for a long time. Finally, I opened my eyes. The closest people around would be Siryn and Jubilee. I checked on them gossiping at the other side of the locker room. Sure enough, they were stopped. I wrapped my towel tightly around myself and made my way around the mansion, I did however, check every corner before walking in.

The trip was successful, as I reached the room in which Marie was starting to wake up and Kit was finishing painting her toenails. Once inside, I ignored both of them and went to my section of the closet, dressed quickly. I combed my hair once and pulled it back into a french do and went out again, this time much more relaxed. I walked to the kitchen and half of the population was in there, having breakfast. Or at least in the middle of doing so. I took melon pieces from Piotr, a spare toast from Kurt and then reached the fridge. I found a yogurt and sat down with it… next to Colossus.

"Hey,…" I started conversationally. The sudden noise of the kitchen held me back, it was very noisy. I loved when the mansion was quite and still. Colossus noticed me next to him and smiled.

"Good morning, Alice" he said. I smiled at him too. "How was your danger room session?" he asked me curtly. I smiled, but held back a laugh.

"Just fine" I said. "But how…" I started.

"Oh!, yes, sorry for the indiscretion. John always wakes me up. Makes quite a racket. But you know him, he's always too energetic. Dunno why he likes training so much, he knows enough as it is" he told me. I could think of about three reasons… but I refused to say anything.

"Alice," I heard from the door. I looked up. Kit was in the doorway.

"Yeah?" I told her.

"Next time you want us to not notice you, as least leave the drawes closed. I hit my hip on the drawer you left open" Mierda, I completely forgot about that.

"Kit, I'm sorry I didn't even realize!" I said honestly. "Hey, are we still on for tomorrow?" I asked her, she smiled at me and nodded. "I'm asking Jubilee and Siryn to join us later today."

"Good, I still have to ask Marie" I told her.

"Where are you guys going?" Piotr asked me once Kit continued on her way to the fridge and I took another bit of yogurt.

"Windowshopping and other stuff tomorrow, girl stuff, mostly." I told him.

"Sounds like a plan" he told me and took another sip of his coffee. I could never start the day with coffee, I needed real food. He on the other hand had just a coffee and about a quarter of toast for breakfast. But, oh well, to each his own.

"Mhm." I nodded. I was near finishing my yogurt when the door swung open again. Warren was at the door, with a shirt on, thankfully. I smiled across the room to him. He looked at me as if I had done something wrong. Come on, it was skirmish, it was perfectly legal!

"Hey, Alice…" he started. I pulled the spoon out of my mouth slowly and then turned to him.

"Yeah?" I asked him.

"You should go check on John, you know." He told me.

"How is he?" I asked him. "He should be okay by now. I barely touched him!" he glared at me.

"Well, barely but not the best place?" I corrected myself.

"Actually, I think it was more his ego than him that got hurt" he told me. I snorted.

"Come on, it was skirmish." I said offhandedly. I placed my hand on the counter, grabbing the cup with the other one and making to leave.

"You know how he feels" he countered, he may have been whispering, but at least five people heard him.

"No, I Don't" I said. "I've never been hit in the crotch" I answered sarcastically. He raised his eyebrows. I gave up. I leaned into him.

"Look, this is not the place to talk about this" I whispered in his ear. "Talk to you later, and I mean it" I paused briefly. Warren looked straight at me.

"Mechanics review in the afternoon?" he asked me. "The place'll be empty." I nodded. I went to the sink and then left the room. I went to the library before heading to class, I still had time. Well, actually I had all the time in the world. I rummaged through the history textbooks, somehow, there was something about reading about history that calmed me down and made me feel less selfish, learning about the heroic and not so benevolent actions of others was a great stress reliever. But I found something that was completely in the wrong place: a book by Mr. McCoy. I pulled it out: Genetics and Mutation: how special are you? I had a good feeling about it and snuck it in my messenger bag. I could go through it tonight.

I checked my watch: five to eight. I should be getting to class right about now. I went out again, a few people were studying in the table at the center. I waved and made my way out. Bobby was there. I seemed to be very intrigued into a book. I sat myself next to him just to bother him for a few minutes.

"Hey, Robert" I said to him. He looked up from the book. Boy, he looked like a mess. He had huge bags under his eyes and looked as if he hadn't slept all night.

"Hey, Alice" he said back. Then went back to his book.

"So, what cha reading?" I asked him.

"Not much, just reviewing for the lit exam" I peered into the book. _How to find your significant __other_read the header at the side of the text. I just nodded and pretended that I hadn't seen it.

"Sweet." I told him. "I am so not getting anywhere with that" I told him. I smiled. He seemed to not really appreciate my presence.

"Well, anyways, I'd best get going to class. Mr. McCoy would not be pleased if I arrived late to chemistry." I said to him. He looked at me, as if suddenly seeing something.

"What time is it?" he asked me.

"About two minuted til classes start, at least for the seniors" I told him. "Shit, shit" he said and started dumping stuff into his Jansport.

"Whoa, relax, Bobby" I told him.

"I have two minutes to get to the Ms. Monroe's class!" he told me.

"Again, Chill!" I said to him. "here's the sweet part: we make the teachers think they're the ones that are late!" I told him.

"Huh?" he looked at me.

"Oh," I said. "Gimme a sec" I closed my eyes and concentrated on Ms. Monroe and Mr. McCoy. They were both walking calmly to the class, coming from their rooms. McCoy was thinking about a new formula and Ororo was trying to juggle all the papers she had in her hands. Then, they paused.

"There, now let's go!" I told him. He wanted to rush. Ms. Monroe's class was on the way to Mr. McCoy's class. I walked and he sped past me. He didn't see Ms. Monroe had stopped in the middle of the hall. He went directly in. God, he sure was a stressed man. I walked calmly.

"Alice!" heard an unmistakeable voice call to me. Rogue was also arriving to Ms. Monroe's class.

"Yeah?" I said to her.

"I'm freaking running late, that means so are you? How come you're so calm?" she told me.

"Oh, nothing" I told her. I know she hated when I pulled this on teachers.

"See you in math later today?" she asked. I nodded.

"Oh, and Marie, do you have plans for tomorrow?" I asked her. She shook her head as she continued to walk on.

"Let's go spend the day at the mall" I proposed. She nodded and went to class. I decided it was time. I was still a few meters away from the door. I unfroze Ms. Monroe and Mr. McCoy. No one had reason to suspect.

I arrived at sat at the front of the class, besides Kitty and waited for McCoy.

"Sorry I'm late class," he said as he went in. I remained still. "So, who remembers what we had planned out for today?" Kit's hand shot out into the air, quite Hermione-ish actually, but I said nothing.

She filled in and he started writing on the board. Gasses. I decided to pay attention.

* * *

Please review. 


	7. Something or Friends

Disclaimer: I even had to reference this chapter! But always, just the plot is mine.

* * *

Ch7 

I wanted to rest during class break. But someone had different plans for me. Make that several someone's.

"Alice, can you explain to me the thirteenth sonnet?" Bobby asked when he saw me in the library. I read it through thrice then turned to him

"Um, it's basically about how a person is reflected on their descendants. The phrase "were yourself" refers to a father or a past tense, see how at the end it says: death, father and son. While we live we want to still be later when we are no more in our kids" I said. He read it through once more.

"Sweet, got it. Up to which sonnet should be understand?" he asked me.

"Hmm… I think he said the fiftieth" he swallowed nothing.

"God that's a lot" he told me. I nodded. I then followed to cuddle back to rest a few minutes. He started rereading them.

"Alice" I heard again, less than two minutes after I closed my eyes. I lazily opened only one eye. I saw face to face with Kit. She was sitting on the other side of Bobby. She smiled at me.

"What was the ideal gas formula?" she asked. I thought Mr. McCoy said it only about twenty times.

"P V equals n R T" I filled in. "Which means?" she pushed on.

"Come on, Kit. I'm tired" I tried to avoid a yawn. "The pressure times the volume is the same as the mass in moles times the absolute temperature and the R constant that depends on the units." I said. So much for trying to sleep.

"And R is, like, 0,082 when we have, like, Pascals?" she went on.

"Nop, if I remember correctly the constant is 8,3141 for Joules over moles and time. When you're dealing with Liters and atmospheres over temperature and moles you use 0,082. But we should check the book on that." I said. I pulled a semi heavyweight book from the bag on the floor next to me and pulled it up to her.

"Yes, you're right," she rummaged and quickly landed on the chapter she wanted.

"Alice" Oh shit, I had been planning to avoid that voice all day long, hell, all weekend long.

"Yeah?" I looked up to see Logan.

"I need to have a word with you" he said to me. I looked attentively at him. "In private" not good.

"Sure," I pushed my sweater back into my bag and pulled it over my shoulder quickly. I followed him out. He led me to an empty classroom. He closed the door behind me after I entered.

"Before you say anything," I started to say.

"No, you listen. I talk" Yes, sir Mr. Caveman, I thought to myself.

"First off, you weren't even trying today during danger room session." I was about to protest when he shushed me.

"Secondly, it was wrong of you to leave as you did" I should've have snuck out, but I so didn't want a confrontation.

"Alice" he said to me. I stopped looking at a desk with a swear word written across it. "You can be a girl all you want, but keep in mind that it's teenage boys you're dealing with. Maybe you think that the best way to fight is to go for a weak point, and yeah, that's a good strategy. But I think you know just as well as I do that John didn't even want to fight you." He said it straight. I wanted to respond.

"Do me a favor and don't go for the groin again" he asked me. "Clear?"

"Yes, sir." I was suddenly relieved that he didn't mention my… umm, thing.

"And the next time you feel horny in the middle of the class simply excuse yourself." I flinched, off course he wouldn't just ignore it.

"How did you know?" I asked him, just to be polite, I was sure he could smell better than anyone.

"Come on, the way you and Pyro were fighting. Neither really doing anything but sweating and looking at each other." He told me. Yikes. That sucks… and the worse thing is that Warren got to see the show.

I clenched my fists.

"Just to set the record straight: He started it" I defended myself. Just then the door opened and the sophomores that had class with Ms. Monroe right now started pouring in.

"But he sure as hell was not the one to end it" he responded and started walking away.

"It's not my fault" I said straight over the noise. He ignored me. Ugh. I followed him out.

"I guess I have to tell someone anyways." I said once I reached him.

"What?" he asked me. "I think I'm developing" I said continuing to walk at his side.

"What? You got your period?" why did people automatically say that when I said that?

"No! Why do guys think that? Ugh! I got my period seven years ago!" I said. A bit loudly a few people turned their heads. "My powers" I told him. He simply kinda growled.

"I'm serious." I told him.

"Talk to a teacher about that" he said to me and continued on.

"Um, I thought I was doing that just now" I retaliated.

"Right…" he said.

"I'm feeling what people around me are feeling" I said it quickly, the halls were once more empty as classes had started again.

"Like empathy?" he said to me. I nodded. "Talk to Remy about it, he should know if it is or not" he said and pushed the elevator button to get downstairs.

"I did, that's why I'm telling you know" I said. He rolled his eyes and got in.

"Look, kid, I'm not really one to talk about this. You should go to the professor. I ain't really the type to talk to" he said to me.

"Don't try to be condescending. I know you care just as much as anyone else" I told him. He looked at me.

"Are you trying to get inside my mind?" he asked me. I shook my head.

"I don't have to do that to see that you're a softie. And don't look so shocked" I told him. Sure, he loved to work thinking that he inspired fear from those around him. But not me.

"Right" he walked to the second garage in the basement. The class was still waiting. "Shouldn't you be in class?" he finally asked me.

"I am" I answered, a bit puzzled.

"Right, you're in mechanics too" he told me. I went over to Warren, he was sitting in the back of the "class" We both knew hardly anything about motors.

On the other hand, Bobby and a few others that were sophomores which I didn't remember their names were dangerously close to an engine.

"Can't believe him" I said.

"Who?" he asked me.

"Logan" I said.

"What did he do?" he asked me.

"What didn't he do" I whispered. "He first says I wasn't even trying at DR session this morning! Which I was!" I said.

"I've seen better, he told me."

"Yeah, I'm not going to kick around a real person the same way a go at a CGI."

"But you should" he told me. "I can't hit a guy Ix know." I replied.

"I mean, would you hit me?" I asked him.

"Well, if it was just for training purposes… I wouldn't actually hurt you" he said. "My point exactly.

"Have you spoken to him?" he asked me.

"Hell, no" I said. Not even thinking it through. "You mean John, right?" he nodded.

"I'm not ready" I said.

"What do you have to be ready for?" he asked me. I paused, I tried to form a thought.

"Come on, I hit him in the crotch, I don't think he'd be precisely happy to see me" I replied.

"You've got a point. But you can't simply avoid him" he told me.

"Watch me" I dared.

"I'm serious. You can't avoid him forever" I nodded.

"Nah, not forever, just for today." I smiled at him and slunk back to rest on the wall. My arms were resting behind me.

"Okay, settle down class" the guys went back to sit on the stools that were scattered around the garage. Bobby on the other hand sat down on Scotts second bike which he had tampered a lot and had soon claimed as his own.

"Um, today we'll be doing oral calls" he told the class. A few girls groaned. The guys smirked between themselves. I looked at Warren. We were both unaffected by whatever was the plan for the lesson.

"Warren, you first" he called to him. Warren looked at him.

"Stand up and come up here" he said to him. Warren quickly stood and went, a bit boringly. I appreciated the view… until Bobby saw what I was doing. I winked at him and then sat up straight.

"What's the first step in fixing this?" Wolverine gestured towards a complex machine that I had no idea what it was that was now sitting between the two openhooded cars.

"Choose the right tools to fix it" he said. He observed for a few second. "The bench grinder seems to have a bit stuck on the motor, so the best way to fix it is with a bit of steel wool to unhook it and then grab it." he answered after much thought.

"Fair enough" he said.

"Petra" he called. She stopped giggling and paid attention to him. She looked up and went besides him.

"What do you think is wrong with this machine?" he asked her.

"Um, it's got a bit in it's motor?" she said.

"What if I said that Warren over there was wrong?" he said.

"Um…" she seemed to be lost for words.

"That's what I thought."

"JeanPaul" he spoke next. The blonde his stuck out his chest as he marched towards him.

"What's wrong with this?" he seemed to hope this was the last time he asked.

"It's the coolant, Mr. Logan" he said. "It broke down."

"Correct." He said. He looked around the class again. I looked up from the notebook I was taking notes on.

"Alice" he said.

"Coming" I flipped the notebook shut and went towards him.

"How do you suggest we fix it?" he said. I observed the machine keenly, I was pretty sure that it couldn't be as simple as: replace the coolant.

"Well, firstly, if you want to replace the coolant you have to make sure that the machine is unplugged and that you have the replacement ready. With the adequate drill you can disarm and the coolant easily enough to replace it. You might, while the coolant is out check the motor for bits and clean the inside, with steel wool off course" I though I'd covered most of it.

"Okay" I went back to my seat.

"Bobby, get me the spare coolant. You two" he pointed at some guys I didn't know. "help him"

"Danielle and Petra, if you don't stop giggling I'm kicking you out" he said sternly. They tried to control the laughter. JeanPaul looked at the two and rolled his eyes. I suddenly had a feeling that he was anything but pleased that those two were in this class. He noticed me looking at the two girls two. We locked eyes for a few seconds. He had penetrating green eyes and too many freckles for my taste, but I didn't sense attraction from him, rather disgust towards me.

"Alice, do you think he's gonna make us fix it?" Warren asked me. I finished my leering battle with the guy and turned to him. I whispered in his ear.

"I certainly hope not" and then smiled. "There are experts for that kinda stuff, that is way beyond our level. And I don't think Logan trusts us enough to go something of the sort to that important equipment." He laughed a bit.

"Too true" he said. While he laughed his hand found my thigh. I laughed too, the idea of us changing that thing… Anyways. "Can you imagine the two girls changing it?" I whispered in his ear. His arm surrounded me and pulled me near to whisper again.

"Come on, it's as if they're not here, anyone can see they're just here to have a chance with the other boys… but they're too busy checking you out" I laughed.

"Warren! That is so out of place!" I laughed again. Bobby was coming back. Wolverine looked over all of us. Danielle and Petra had resumed giggling and not so whispering. Jean Paul was quite uninterested, and yeah, was watching Warren and me. The other three set the piece in front of Wolverine and sat down again. We stayed stopped laughing, but his arm was still around me and my hand was still on his leg, not that I was complaining.

"Danielle and Julian bring forward the rest of the necessary equipment." They both went. Julian smiled at her, but she quickly looked away, rudely ignoring him. He was a bit depressed that she didn't even look at him.

"He likes her" I said below a whisper.

"Who?" Warren asked.

"Julian likes Danielle" I repeated.

"How do you know?" he seemed astounded.

"Just the look he gave her" he said, but no, it was the emotion that I felt from him.

"Well, gather round so you can see how it is done" Wolverine called for all of us. Everybody came closer. He did it so quickly I barely had time to jot stuff down as I watched him work.

"Done. Any questions?" he said.

"Me" I said quickly. He looked at me. He had been hoping to simply dismiss the class now. "What happens to the coolant now?" I asked him.

"Um, I guess the hardware store might find a way to fix it" he said. Huh, not so smart.

"Are we ever going to do that?" Julian was still processing.

"Are you crazy?" for a split second I felt it was strange that I said what I was thinking, but it was Danielle who said that. I laughed.

"Yeah, that's our final exam, Danielle" I laughed.

"No" Wolverine ruined my fun, that seemed to be a recurring theme. "But I expect a write up about what we did today. A protocol on safety measures and procedure for what we did today. To hand in a week from today" a few groaned, including Warren.

"Class dismissed." He said. Everybody started to walk away. I got my bag and went out with Warren.

"I hate doing protocols" he said to me.

"Though luck, sugah" I answered and smiled.

"Join me for lunch?" he asked me.

"Join us?" I said. "Promised Rogue" I restated.

"Sure" he said. The elevator was full when we got there. Bobby gave us a puzzled look as he was the last one in.

"We'll wait" Warren said as the doors closed.

"Or we could take the stairs" I said.

"Yeah…" he said. "But I'd rather not."

"Come on" I said, pulling him a bit.

"Al…" he started.

"Okay…" I said. "See ya upstairs I said and walked towards the unused stairs that led to the hidden passageway to the first floor. It was not so far away or anything. I was starting to push the door open when he called to me.

"Wait, Alice" he told me.

"I knew you'd come round" I told him and started up the stairs.

"You're manipulative, you know that?" he told me.

"I never said you had to come!" I exclaimed and continued up the stairs.

"Wait" he said. I stood in mid stairs waiting . Eventually I was standing two steps ahead of him and we could see eye to eye, no looking up for me as was usual and no looking down for him. I laughed.

"It's a nice change, seeing eye to eye like this" I said.

"Aw, it's not your fault your short," he teased. He got a step closer. I stood on my tiptoes, just to show him that I could be a bit taller. He laughed. "It's not so bad, actually, it makes you more huggable" he told me. I laughed and turned to continue upstairs.

But I had a restraint, his arms were around me and his wings were spreading halfway.

"You know Alice," I turned again.

"Yes?" I was suddenly all to aware how exposed I felt, hugging in the empty stairs.

"I think I've never met someone as understanding as you" he told me. Uh.oh. How do I get myself out of this.

"Thanks," I found myself saying. He let go of me, but his wing were still kinda encircling us.

"You're a great friend" I smiled. I was suddenly relieved, he was grateful, he had always been uneasy as a kid with his parents not liking his mutation and so many people he couldn't be himself around. He wasn't the longing type anyways.

"You too" I said to him. "Even when you're mortifying the people around you" I joked. He looked into my eyes. I don't want any trouble, I repeated to myself. I don't want any trouble.

"Well, you're just as nice when you're talking to someone while checking out somebody else" he taunted. Well, I had eyes, might as well make good use of them. "Let's go" he said and went besides me to the next few steps. I stopped him by holding down his wrist.

"Warren," for some reason I was about to explain myself. His brown eyes looked into mine. "This is gonna sound silly," I found myself looking at the floor. He came back a few steps again.

I felt him so close to me, I found myself feeling warm again, but not like this morning. This was different. I suddenly remembered what it was like to have a crush and not just infatuation.

"What?" he asked. I fooled myself again, suddenly I was reaching up to him and kissing him. My lips pressed against his and after a few seconds we had shifted and he was kissing me deeply too. My lips opened a bit for air, but as he did likewise I attacked his mouth. I was smiling and my hands were around his neck. But suddenly he was pulling back.

"Allie.." he started. I stopped and bit my bottom lip. "I shouldn't have done that" I offered.

"No, no. It's okay" he said. "I'm the one that's doing something bad here." It was my time to be puzzled, what did he have to be ashamed of?

"What's that supposed to mean?" I said.

"Look, you're sweet and nice and everything. But I feel this is wrong when I know how John feels about you" he said. "And when I don't feel the way he does" he said.

"You're saying that you like me only as a friend, I'm okay with that" I replied.

"No, I'm saying that John likes you a lot more than me… and, I don't want him to lose somebody again" he told me. "What?"

"You probably don't know this, and hell, I wouldn't know this if he hadn't told me himself" he sat down and I did likewise. "Before there was Bobby and Rogue, he liked Rogue. A lot" he said.

"I've heard the stories, but then he left." I said.

"Wait, he left because of two reasons. One of them was that she had chosen Bobby over him, the other one is the one most people take for real one." He said to me.

"While with the Brotherhood he didn't really have anybody with him. Now that he's back here he's trying to be a good guy, change his ways." I listened.

"He just wants someone to like him, he's been second in line for so long. He's my friend, he tells me stuff and can't be a Bobby repeat." He told me.

"I understand" I said. "Listen, I know commonly this is the part where I pour my heart out, but trust me on this, you don't want to hear about my past." I knew that the best thing we could both do was ignore this ever happened.

"Sure, how about lunch then?" he suggested as he stood up. I nodded and stood up myself, refusing the hand he was offering to help me up, I'm not really one for chivalry.

"Come on, Angel" I called to him. I don't know if he was suddenly having second thoughts.

"Yeah" he said and was at my side again. We walked to the cafeteria.

_That don't mean that I won't need a friend_

_You and me, we're in this 'til the end_

_I think we're on our way_

_To better days, better days_

_-Christina Aguilera_

* * *

Pretty Please Review:D 


	8. Remember to Forget

Disclaimer: The flashback is entirely mine, i'm so proud. But still, the big characters belong to Marvel & Fox, so i'll stick to Alice.

Author's note: hey, if anyone's interested, i'm translating the big even that occured just before she decided to come to mutant high, but dunno if it's worth it, the spanish version is on fictionpress... well. anyone can just message me

* * *

CH 8 

I spotted Marie immediately.

"Rogue!" I yelled clear across the room, she looked at me and smiled, she was saving me a seat at our usual table. I passed the salad bar quickly and sat myself next to her.

"So, how were classes?" I asked her.

"Done with, boring" she supplied. "Yours?" she asked.

"One was boring, one not so boring." I supplied. I stole a sip from her fruit juice.

"You could get your own you know" she teased.

"Nah, they have too much sugar" I countered.

"Hey, Rogue" Angel greeted her as he sat down on the other side of me. He had a full plate, but then again guys have a much faster metabolism.

"I'll be right back" I said and slipped between them.

"Where's she going?" Warren asked her. I didn't hear her response, I went fast to the cooler and searched for a bottle of water. They were hidden at the very end. I had to bent over to reach it. Damn water… I found myself thinking loudly. Suddenly, a wave of desire overwhelmed. I felt suddenly dizzy from the overload. I had stand up and hold onto the cooler to not fall. I took a deep breath and a hand went unconsciously to my head. Whoa, that was. I turned again, trying to find an explanation to it.

Finding none, I went back to our table and sat down between them again.

"You picked on my salad," I stated.

"You took my juice" she answered maturely. "Fine," I opened my water. Warren laughed at our little argument.

"Is that common?" he asked us. We looked at ourselves. _Not really…_

"Not really" Marie provided.

"Come on, you two bother each other like sisters" Remy had arrived at our table, and as was common, quiet as a mouse.

"Hey, Warren" he said as he hung an arm around Marie.

"We do not!" we both responded.

"Okay… but you still love to pick on each other" he said. I said nothing and ate. Marie on the other hand was too busy complaining about his unshaven face.

"Really, it's not so nice." She said. I tried not to laugh. Warren was rolling his eyes. I punched him lightly in the arm. "Have a little respect for the pair, please" I whispered very low.

"Right, because you do" I pretended to feel insulted. I suddenly had a feeling of envy that didn't belong to me, nor anyone at the table.

"Remy?" Marie said. "I just asked you something." She said. He looked at her sweetly.

"Excuse moi, Remy was distracted by your beauty" she tried not to blush. But I know what really distracted him.

"Huh, well then, will you?" she said.

"Yes, chère." He answered taking her plate. "Thanks, sugah," she said. He went to grab mine. But I quickly got it and Warren's.

"I'll help you," I said. "I can take those." Warren tried to grab the plates from me. "It's okay, I can handle it" I smiled at him and urged him to let go.

"Did you feel that?" I asked him as soon as we were out of earshot.

"Oui?" he supplied.

"And….?" I urged.

"Quoi?" he looked at me. (What)

"Que era?" I said. (What was it)

"Quest-ce que toi pensez?" (What do you think)

"Alguien muy envidioso" (Someone quite jealous)

"Trés bien" he was being sarcastic. (good)

"Ecoute! Dit qui est que toi savoir and moi pas" he looked around. (Listen, tell me what it is that you know and I don't)

" Moi savior du qui le sentiment proviens, mais, je ne se pais pourquoi" Yeah, that's something i wanted to know. (i know who the feeling came from, but i don't know why)

"Et, le raison toi sens plus c'est que il va pour toi." (and the reason you felt it so strongly is because it was aimed at you)

"QUE? " Why the hell would someone be jealous at me? (what)

"Silence, Alicia!" he said to me. Many heads had turned. Including Marie and Warren. (you gotta imagine that phrase in a french accent… it goes Silons) We continued on to the kitchen, around here everyone did their own dishes.

"Bueno, entonces quien era?" I was suddenly very aware of the reason we were speaking in latin languages. Most didn't even know more than what we let on to them.

"Le feu fil. Le précédent Magneto recrue." Pyro? Damn, Warren didn't let on enough then.

"Mierda, Warren me conto" I told me Warren had given me a heads up, I completely ignored that.

"Then you know what to do" he told me and walked away. He left Marie's and his plate there. Just great. I stayed washing all four for them. For a split second, I felt what would've been a daydream instead it was a bad memory.

* * *

"Hey, Alicia" he sat down next to me, I ignored him. I had already heard the rumors that were going round. If he was able to go on a date with me and make out with me he'd win twenty bucks from each of the participating boys. 

"Hey, Max" I finally said but continued doodling on my notebook. The other girls sitting in front me didn't know what I knew. They were completely oblivious, and moreoverly, were urging me to look at him. At least smile. Okay, he was hot, but he was a dog, he used girls and I refused to be the next one.

"Hey, listen, I was wondering if you were free this Friday night" he asked me. I finished the thorn I was drawing and finally looked at him.

"Max" I said. "Do you know who my best friend is?" I asked him.

"Melanie and Jackie" he said to me, looking at the girls in front of me.

"No, I don't have girlfriends. They let me sit here because I told them you were coming" he was suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"Truth is… the guys played you" I found myself saying. "Whenever they feel I am drifting they usually ask me what's going on, and I lie and it's all good" he looked confused that I was telling him this.

"Last time, I was too under myself to care. You see… I'm not really like a girl" I paused to let that sink in.

"Okay… you're drowning, from what I can see. Close your mouth for starters" I said. Max closed his mouth soon enough.

"I know about the bet, and they know you ain't getting any" I smiled at him. He looked weirdly at me.

"So, you gonna leave or should I?" I stated blankly. He was still gaping like a codfish. "That's what I thought." And I left him.

No sooner had I stood up that a the guys at the back stifling their laughs. I walked to the back, making sure they noticed me.

"Very fun, you guys" they started laughing out loud. Ed, Sam, Mike, Oliver and Will started roaring. I pushed Oliver and sat down next to them. "Poor Max, you shouldn't have"

We continued talking for the rest of the lunch period. I was back, I was tired of being depressed all the time as well. As lunch ended we headed to our classes. I had Computer Science and only Oliver was in my group, the rest were headed in other directions.

"So, Alicia, it took a prank to bring you out of your shell. What will it be next time?" he said to me.

"There won't be a next time." I said without thinking. "I'm done thinking about

Stan" He snorted.

"Babe, that's the kind of thing you never want to forget but you don't want to remember" he said to me. He was right.

"I know, but I don't wanna go through with this anymore…" I let on.

"Listen, you know you can always come to me" he said holding my shoulder. I stopped and looked at him. "Yeah, thanks" I smiled. Suddenly I saw something in his eyes change.

"We're gonna be late for class" I told him.

"Do you really care about that stupid class?" he asked.

"well, not really…." I let on. He looked around for a split second."Sti…" his mouth was suddenly on mine. And his hands had reached my back in record speed as he pushed me against the door of a broom closet as he tried to open it. I started kissing him all over, adrenaline flowing into my system. I had been pushing any feeling of lust for such a long time and the idea of getting caught was also so very exciting.I could feel his kisses hot me and our mouths fitting into each other.

_Well, I'm as good as it ever gets_

_Give you something you won't forget_

_If you wanna spell trouble babe_

_Well send out an S.O.S._

_Yes_

_This baby's got something_

_Somethin' you just can't ignore_

_And yeah it sure is likely babe_

_You'll keep on coming back for more_

_-Christina Aguilera_

We were grasping onto each other and pulling on each others hair, our bags were tossed aside quickly. I decided to just go with the flow, he started to try and eat the flesh near my collarbone, but then decided against it and I felt the later impression of a hickie. I felt a hand of his travel south across my stomach. I felt his warm hand and then his other hand that grabbed my leg and spread them apart..

* * *

"No" I suddenly found myself saying. I had said no then, and now again. 

"No what?" a voice behind me said. I dropped the plate I had been washing as I turned. The shards resounded between us.

"John! You scared me." I told him.

"Why? Because I interrupted your monologue?" he said sarcastically.

"No" I started to come up with something as I cleaned up the pieces.

"Don't say you were simply startled by me" she said.

"No" I said as I got up once everything was in my hand. I was still thinking of something intelligent to say.

"What was it?" he said, he sounded something between concerned and anxious.

"I don't know" I finally settled with the cheapest lie there is. Once I disposed of the pieces that cut my hands I placed the bloody hands beneath the flow of water. John had been washing under the other faucet. I closed my eyes. I wished for a second that I didn't have a past.

The flow of water felt like a release, but I wanted a flow that would course through all of me. Wash everything away. I suddenly realized that that the water had stopped flowing. I groaned, I wanted the water. I felt something soft surround one of my hands. I finally opened my eyses, unwillingly.

"I thought you were gone" I said quickly.

"Why? So you could look weak only alone?" he asked me.

"That is the best as far as I'm concerned. When no one's watching." I stated simply.

"There's always someone watching" he answered. He had let go of my hand, and asked for the other one, I refused.

"You're wrong." I stated simply. "You just want to believe that" I said. I grabbed a few paper towels and cleaned the blood off me. I smiled.

"But thanks, for trying to make me feel better" I said quickly. "But I'm not telling what was on my mind" I said teasingly. I went to the lunch hall again. They were all still there. I checked my hands once more. All clean.

"You coming?" I turned to see him going in the other direction. "Sure" he said. And walked along. I sat down on in front of Marie.

"Hey, by the way, I'm sorry about this morning" I said.

"What?. Oh, that. Don't sweat it. Happens to the best of us" he said. Right, but I apologized anyways and that's what counts.

"I really am sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you so much" I said.

"Nah, don't think about it." he said.

"So, what's new?" I asked as I sat down.

"I don't think I can go tomorrow…" Marie started.

"What? It's a day out just for us!" I exclaimed.

"Remy asked…" she started.

"Non." He said. "Go with her"

"Planes importantes?" I said without thinking it through. (hot plans) he looked at me for a few seconds but then looked back at Marie.

"Non" he said again. I let it go.

"Are you talking french or is he talking Spanish?" John interrupted our little private talk.

"Um, I can do simple french" I said.

"You're modest." Remy said.

"It's the truth" I reiterated.

"You understand perfect French just as well I understand Spanish" he said.

"You're trilingual?" Warren asked both of us.

"Remy is" he said, again with the annoying third person.

"I'm not" I stated. "Gambit, I can understand you but I can't speak French" I said.

"Fine" he said. "Merde, look at the time time. I need to go get ready for Danger Room" he said quickly, pecking Rogue on the lips before he slipped away.

"Oh! Rogue, do ya have the math homework?" she asked to continue with the conversation.

"Yeah, must be in my bag" she started searching for it.

"I just wanna check three problems that I couldn't solve" she said.

"Okay, hon" I said.

"What class do you have know?" I asked John.

"Physics" he said.

"I hate physics" I said.

"Well, I hate biology" he answered.

"Smart choice then" I said. I looked towards Warren.

"Free period" he answered.

"Sweet" I said.

"Not really" he said. "I've gotta go downtown to meet my parents."

"Sucks" John filled in.

I unconsciously placed a hand on the table to check on my math homework as I saw Marie finishing up with it.

"Oh, I fixed a small detail in the seventh one, and I had to re do three of mines" she said. "Thanks"

"You should go the infirmary" John said.

"What?" was he referring to me.

"Cover up those cuts before they get worse" he explained. Damn, I was still bleeding.

"Nah, I don't feel anything" I said and placed the paper back on the table and brought my hands to my lap where no one would see them.

"What cuts?" Warren asked concerned.

"It's nothing, I dropped a plate and the got cut with the pieces." I said.

"You should go, I'll tell Kurt why you're running late" Marie offered.

"It's fine, really" I implored.

"And I'll help her with your stuff." Warren went to grab my bag. "Geez, what do you have in here, rocks?"

"Nah, just books, shoes, bottles and pens"

"The bottles?" John asked. I kinda nodded. "Is that wise?" he asked.

"Well, I can't think of anyone who'd check there." I answered.

"What kind of bottles?" Warren asked.

"Bailey's" I filled in . "Yum"

"I didn't know you drank!" Marie looked sternly at me.

"Every full moon or so" I said calmly.

"You're full of secrets, Alice" Warren said. You've got no idea…

"Anyways, let's get going." We all stood up from the table and went to the hall. John and I went to the elevator to go downstairs.

"I really don't see why I'm coming" I persisted.

"I really don't understand why you're being so stubborn." He replied. I resigned to just give him a boring look.

Soon enough the doors opened and we walked into the modern basement.

"A pair of band aids should do it" I said and saw the jarful in the empty infirmary.

"Yeah" he said. I took out about four and started with the first on beneath my pinky finger. I looked for the other cuts and found in the crevice between two fingers. I unpeeled the band aid and tried to get it on myself. John simply watched.

"What?" I said as he looked at me. I was almost able to make it.

"Need some help?" he offered.

"Nah… I've almost got it" I could sense his annoyance at me. I pulled on one end but didn't have the angle to pull it on the other one.

"Um, John… can you help me?" I asked innocently. He was more than ready to take it off my hands and do it himself. The spot I'd been working on was covered in seconds.

"There's another one…" I started.

"I know where they are" he said quickly. I pretended not to be shocked.

"Okay… that's weird" I said. So there I was standing while he took one hand and then another to bandage them.

"All set" he said quickly.

"Great" I said. "Now I'll just have to see if I'm able to write like this".

"Come on, don't be so dramatic" he said

"I'm just messing with ya" I said and smiled, I hadn't been serious or anything

"Good" he said, looking serenely at me.

"Um, can I have my hand back?"

"Hmm?" he barely responded.

"Can I have my hand back, please?" I restated.

"Sure thing" he said and let go.

"Thanks" I said. "Let's go, we're gonna be late for class" I said and moved past him to the door. I started walking down the hall.

"I hope you're not staring at my butt, Pyro" I said.

"But it's such a nice butt" he said.

"Still" I said and turned around and walked backwards.

"All right, let's go" he said. I allowed him to catch up with me and then we went upstairs and to our respective classes.

* * *

PLEASE i beg you, review! 


	9. Cultural Meeting

Disclaimer: own only Alice and the plot, everybody else belong to Marvel & Fox (you can actually check it, all the names i'm using for the extra students have references from minor X-men characters, see if you can spot them ;))

* * *

CH9

Cultural Meeting

* * *

"Fifteen more minutes…" I called to my alarm clock… it was too early! I am so not used to waking up early on weekends. I tried to reach the snooze button without moving any more than I had too. When I finally understood that I needed something more I threw my hugging pillow at it. I shouldn't have.

The noise was so loud it even woke Marie, and that was saying something.

"Uuh?" was the only noise she made. I gave up and threw away the covers to get up myself. I placed my feet to sit up straight and stretch but drew them back inmmediately. The floor was wet. I finally opened my eyes, still unwillingly.

My alarm clock, still ringing, my journal wide open, my hydrangea was besides the edge of the table and the vase that had been holding it was no longer a vase. Closer inspection allowed me to see that my journal was soaked and that my earrings were underneath it all. I picked it up, luckily the lamp didn't fall. My pillow was also soaked, and that was depressing.

"Ugh, six thirty! I got to bed too late yesterday to be waking up at this hour!" I mumbled to myself, seeing they both fell asleep again. I walked to the closet for a clean pair of underwear and a used pant. I proceeded to lock myself in the bathroom. I was still half asleep.

I tried to remember at what time I had come down from the roof yesterday… must have been about three in the morning… Anyways, I turned on the light and continued rummaging through my drawer.

Unwillingly I opened the cold shower and let myself in. Damn! I'm awake, it was either that or snooze during the first german class Kurt was giving. I turned it a bit hotter, but not steamy. I didn't want something like yesterday to happen, though it would probably be just some of the young kids taking the class. I dressed quickly and then went outside to look for a clean shirt.

After more than enough time rummaging the closet I found a violet tank top, I covered up with a ripped t-shirt that I wasn't even sure was mine. I checked myself in the mirror. It was good enough. Sure, I could always lose a few pounds.

I went to get some breakfast, thinking that probably there would be nobody there. I was mistaken. Ms. Monroe, Kurt, Remy, the Professor and a few kids were in. I smiled around and went to the fridge for some yogurt.

"Alice," the professor talked to me as I went to sit besides Remy. I looked up. "Logan was commenting to me about you developing"

"I think I am, I'm not even sure" I said.

"Maintenant, toi seulement pensez?" Remy whispered to me. I ignored him. The professor, obviously, noticed. (NOW you only think you do)

"He mentioned you talked to Remy first" he said, focusing on Remy now. He rearranged his glasses before addressing him.

"Oui, but Remy don't know what to say" I rolled my eyes at him referring to himself in the third person. "Alice, what am I feeling right now?" just by his sarcasm I had an idea, but in reality not only did I have no clue but I couldn't have a clue. (yes)

"Funny, Gambit" I glared.

"Bien, qu'es que-ce il a sent?" he asked me. I looked at the professor. I concentrated, it was difficult to bring it out from someone, but it was easy when someone was having a strong feeling. (Fine, what is he feeling?)

"I can tell you what Kurt is feeling" I joked around. He was feeling so nervous about who'd show for the lesson.

"He's radiating his feelings, that's easy" he retorted.

"Fine" I focused on the professor again, don't think, just feel…

"He's concerned" I looked at him attentively, he let me. "But's that in the surface… he's fond for all of the people here but anticipating something… is something bad gonna happen?" I asked Remy.

"Je ne se pais" he said quickly. I faced the professor again, his expression had changed. He was sad or troubled. (I don't know)

"That's enough" he said quickly, pushing the feeling I had brought out away. "I'd dare say you do have the gift of empathy. But I want to ask Remy for a final assess"

"Oui, Remy can't sense her, anyways" he replied shortly.

"Well, Alice, you are still full of surprises" the professor said, I half smiled and finished my yogurt. Remy was about to say an uncalled comment but stopped himself.

"Alice, are you coming?" I heard from the other side, Kurt was at the door starting to leave.

"Yeah, just a sec. Excuse me" I said to Remy and the Professor. The professor nodded, but Remy ignored me, huh, all the same I left. I tossed the plastic spoon and the yogurt in the bin and reached Kurt in the doorway

"Let's do this" I smiled at him. He opened the door for me and let me through.

"Okay" he said. When we arrived there three kids where sitting ready to learn. I recognized Julian from mechanics. The other two I didn't know. I sat next to Julian and smiled at him.

"Guten tag" he said. I responded the same thing. Julian also responded, the other two didn't quite follow.

"Okay, first." Kurt laughed at himself. "Guten tag means good morning"

"Oh…" the other two got it quickly.

"Um, vell, I think that introductions are in order… or do all of you know each other?" the only that nodded was Julian. I laughed a bit, I had no clue who the other two were.

"Okay, first off: Mein name ist Kurt, wie ist ihr name?" he was looking at me. I caught on fairly quickly, I did have a way with languages. (my name is Kurt, what is your name)

"Mein name ist Alice." I looked at Kurt, he was smiling eagerly. I turned to face Julian who was sitting besides me. "Wie ist ihr name?" He followed suit. As did the others, I was able to learn that the other girls name was Alison and the guy was Sean.

"Große" Kurt said. "Great" Good thinking, to translate just then, cuz I think many were puzzled.

"Umm…" he was clearly new at showing us something he was so comfortable with. I decided to try and help out.

"Do you have an English-German Dictionary?" I asked. He scratched his head, make that a no. I could look for one at the mall today.

"How about we ask common phrases that we'd like to know?" the other guys nodded. Kurt smiled.

"How about… Hello, and nice to meet you" Alison asked quite adequately.

"Ja," he said. "Yes, um, Hallo, sounds a bit different that hello" he said quickly. Sean tried to pronounce it adequately,

"Halo" he said, which for the time being didn't sound right. Kurt said it again, this time slower. Alison pronounced it great the first time. Julian gave it a shot and did it thrice before getting it perfect. I started to pick at my nails.

"Alice?" Kurt asked me to try it too.

"Hallo, Guten tag, Herr Wagner" I said as best I could. He continued smiling.

"Alice is getting ahead of us, Herr is the word for mister." I smiled meekly, not knowing if he liked that I was trying to help him along. "Um, right, now…" he tried how best to say the other phrase, "Schön, Sie kennen zu lernen" he said. I was for the first time with german lost, that was a bit complicated. Julian went to try it first. He eventually got it right, then Alison tried. I had to say it five times before getting that one right.

"I've got one I'd like to know" Julian said once Sean had had a go too. "Thank you" he said simply. Kurt smiled. How could that one have slipped him?

"Oh, you say it all the time," I interrupted. "Isn't it… danke?" he nodded.

"And Danke schön means thank you very much" he said as well.

"What about phrases for special celebrations, happy birthday and congratulations and good luck?" Sean asked afterwards. Kurt nodded again.

"Happy Birthday is Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! Congratulations actually derives from the german word Gratulation, but Gratuliere is sometimes used." He said. I noticed Sean taking notes, I suddenly noticed how ugly it seems that I waltzed in here without anything to write with or on.

"Um, what was the other one?" Kurt turned to Sean.

"Good luck" he said.

"Viel gluck or Alles gute, either one is fine" he said. I smiled, just then I looked at the clock, it was nearly nine, if we wanted to get to the mall before lunch I should start looking for the rest.

"Um, may I be excused?" I asked.

"Darf i entschuldigt warden" was Kurt's response.

"Darf I entschildigt warden?" I asked, pointing out that it was a question. Kurt checked his watch, we'd been here an hour already.

"Sure," he said. The other guys looked like they wanted to stay so I just waved and left the group.

I slipped out of the class and reached the hallway quickly. I was expecting for a few wonderers to be there at around this time. Ms. Monroe was there talking to some kid, most probably telling him off for using his powers. I walked past them and reached the stairs to go up.

"Hey, girl, ready to go?" Marie asked me as I arrived to our room. I nodded. "Isn't that mine?" she asked.

"Dunno, I didn't find anything clean so I put this on" I responded. I started taking it off. I was anyways going to go to the mall with just the tank.

"Whoa, sexy Alice" Marie looked at her small tank that showed off her cleavage.

"You dig?" I teased a bit. She shook her head. "Nah, purple's not really my color" she said. I shrugged and rummaged through my drawer to get my purse, I then went to my school bag to get everything I might want from it in the purse. Bad thing was that the purse was nowhere near big enough. So, en the end I decided against it. I'd be taking the messenger bag and leaving the books behind. While trying to not think about how unfitting it would look with my flowing layered skirt I was switching my jeans for.

"Let's go get the rest of them" I said and so started my field work.

* * *

AN: Please, i have to ask this: do you want the mall scene? Cuz i have an idea, but then it would take a while , on the other hand i have almost done the scene after the mall. But they both promising: mall hanging with the girls, something which Alice has never ever really done and will the great, and the latter is all about WarrenAlicePyro trying to fix the situation she but them in, (no it's not a threesome)

Pretty please response? review? flame? By now i'm accepting anything.


	10. Proper teasing

Disclaimer: the characters are borrowed, Alice is mine and the plot is mine. I don't care if she's a bloody Mary Sue anymore.

Hope y'all like

* * *

CH 10 

"Allie!" I looked up to see Warren across the library, to think that I liked the one back home because of the comforting quiet it was. Sure, this one was supposed to be quiet too but nobody did so. I turned away from my reading and closed the book as I saw him making his way over.

"Yeah?" I asked once he was close enough.

"Listen, have you talked to John recently?" he said in a whisper. I shock my head.

"Not since yesterday after the infirmary" I lied easily. Sure, I had spent part of the night with him on the roof while I was sipping Bailey's and he was smoking. I said I didn't smoke when he offered, so he refused to take some of my drink when I did likewise. The conversation was boring enough to not be mentioned.

"He just looked at me weirdly today…" he said, god, good thing they didn't share a room.

"So?" I said. "And why are you whispering?" This was the first time he was whispering, even considering we were in the library.

"I think he knows" he said to me, still whispering.

"That's impossible" I said to him. He arched an eyebrow. "I didn't tell if that's what you're asking" I said looking at him dead in the eye.

"But, then how…?" he left the question open. I was simply puzzled.

"Guapo, I think you're just being crazy. Relax" I asked of him. (handsome, or at least that applies)

"You're right" he said to me. He fluttered his wings and tried to calm himself. I went back to my book. A few minutes later he tried to make conversation.

"So, what are you reading?" he asked me, thank God he was no longer whispering.

"Soft porn" I said without thinking. I wasn't looking at him face, so I don't know if his jaw dropped or his eyes popped or he was simply awed.

"Alice!" he exclaimed. I looked at him. His eyes had popped, but his jaw hadn't dropped.

"What?" I asked innocently. He tried to search for some word but failed. "What?" I said as sweetly as I could.

"Relax, it's not getting me horny right now" I said. He tried to regain his composture, even though the few people in here were too absorbed too notice our little conversation, he started looking around. He nudged me. I ignored him, the paragraph I was currently in was too steamy to cut even for a second.

"Wait" was all I said after I finished the paragraph and continued reading. I must've been a sight: my eyes darting quickly and ferociously across the page and back again.

"That must be one very good book" I heard somebody say, I realized it wasn't Warren. I paused for a second and looked at him, John, how adequate. I rolled my eyes before continuing to read.

He tried to move my fingers from the cover, which I had adequately placed to hide the title. I tensed my hand a bit more.

"Rough and Tender!" he exclaimed as soon as he made it out. I sighed and ignored him. "She's reading a romance novel! I didn't know you were the type to read 'romance', Alice" he said. I finally got tired of this and closed the book. Warren was pretending to be reading something else. But John urged him to see. He tried to grasp the book from my hands,

"No you don't" I said sharply, and pulled it back. It was enough he deciphered the title, I wasn't gonna let him ruin the book to me by saying something along the lines of "Ugh, it even has Fabio on the cover…" not that he would know who he was, but I nevertheless. "Kitty would kill me if this fell in the wrong hands" I explained, yeah, it wasn't mine. But I enjoyed it as if it was.

"Wrong hands?" John arched an eyebrow. I cocked my head. "Fine, male hands" I said and sat on top of the book. Angel was trying to say something, but failing.

"Close your mouth, Angel, you don't wanna catch flies, now do you?" I offered. "Listen, you have to swear to me that you won't mention to Kitty that you saw me reading this here? She'd skin me, supposedly this never leaves the room" I said quickly, they both nodded.

"What's the big deal about a romance novel?" John asked. Warren finally found his words:

"That thing has porn inside!" he stammered, but succeeded at saying it the first time. I smiled mischeviously.

"Really?" John asked. I nodded, "Now I definitely want to read that!" he said, and tried to pull it from me, it didn't budge.

"Get your own!" I exclaimed. Really, the nerve of him!

"What's with you?" he asked. I questioned him with my eyes.

"What what?" I asked trying to bug him off

"I don't get it. Yesterday you don't want me to help you, yet later you talk to me about anything. Now you won't let me see the book" I rolled my eyes.

"The book has nothing to do with anything, the reason I'm secretive about the book is cuz it isn't mine" I said evasively.

"And?" he asked. I looked at him as if thinking of a good answer

"What what?" I said again, I knew just how much that phrase frustrated him once last night, so I was making sport of telling it to him as many times as I could.

"Will you stop that?" he said annoyed. I laughed and then started doodling on my scrap paper again, for some reason it helped me concentrate more on anything if my hand was doing something.

"So where were you today?" John asked. I ignored him. "Come on, Allie, don't get like this" I smiled inwardly.

"At the mall" I said mischeviously. "We ran into this hot guy band that was making a performance" I said. Warren stopped pretending to read. He looked at me. He didn't say a thing but I could read his expression all too well: You realize you're torturing just for kicks.

"Really?" John said un believing. I smiled mischeviously again.

"Yeah, complete timing: they were on a break from singing when we were walking nearby and one of their guitar straps got caught on my messenger bag. Such a boring thing, but then he had these amazing cute and light colored eyes to die for and I guess he liked me, cuz next thing I know the whole band is with us five." I continued on.

"Uh, sure" he said. "You know what? I forgot to bring my textbook that I was going to read" he said and slowly got up. He walked kinda funny, I felt terrible. I somehow stopped myself from laughing until he had exited the library, But soon after I was laughing my ass off.

"Nice, Al" Warren said obnoxiously.

"Did ya see his face?" was all I managed in between laughs.

"Yeah, it was epic" he agreed. "Still" he looked sternly at me. I rolled my eyes boringly, straightened myself and stopped from laughing. I looked directly at him for a second.

"Hey, I'm an available sexy woman. Just because you don't see it and he don't know how to say it don't mean I can't have my fun" I said testily. He was a bit taken aback but I said nothing.

"But it really wasn't all like that" I agreed after he resumed on his reading. He looked up again, not really knowing if he wanted to know or not.

"It was just timing really" I said emphasizing the _timing._

_"_You didn't" he said. I bit my lower lip.

"It worked" I replied. "And the girls had so much fun!" I said. "I didn't know Jubes could sing!" I said. Warren knew that I knew that he could try to be serious as much as he wanted, but it wouldn't last with me besides him. He finally sighed and started laughing at my boldness.

"I can't believe you actually did that!!" he exclaimed.

"Girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do" I said.

"So, girl's gonna go talk to John now?" he had a good comeback, maldito.

"Bueno… Fine" I said. I left him there, making sure to bring the book along. I wondered around to the kitchen, he wasn't there. I then went to his room and knocked on his door.

"Yes?" Piotr answered. God, his accent was so sexy.

"Hey, Piotr, it's Alice" I said. He hadn't answered the door yet. I was about to ask for John when the door opened. To reveal a dripping Piotr with a shirt that I was sure wasn't there seconds before. Hey I have nothing against bare chested guys, nor other stuff… I held my tongue.

"Um, is John around?" I asked while I pulled a strand of hair from my back. He shook his head. I frowned a bit. "Okay." I said, but didn't move still.

"Anything else?" he asked. I started shaking my head.

"Actually," I started, "Hon, next time I think that pants are a priority over shirt when coming to answer the door." I smiled for a brief second before turning on my heel and going down the hall. I heard him talking, my guess, cursing, in Russian while closing the door. But for me, hey, I always thought he was a briefs kinda guy. Guess I was wrong.

I checked the danger room, the viewing room for the danger room, the kitchen again, the library, which was almost empty, obviously, considering the time. Then finally my head lit up: duh, the roof!

I dashed to my room and pulled on some pajama pants, leaving the tank I had been wearing all day and earned me a few flirts at the mall. I looked at myself in the mirror, fast enough so that the reading Kitty wouldn't think I was getting 'nice' or something just to go take a sip on the roof. As yesterday, my excuse for sitting on the roof wouldn't be counting stars: it would be taking a sip of my bottle.

"I finished the novel, Kit! Steamy stuff, babe!" I said to her as I waved the book before placing it on the desktop. I pulled my hair up with my hair thingy and revised myself again. I looked okay, not like I was with something specific on my mind, but rather ready for cuddling for a movie night.

"Hmm" that was the only thing that she answered. I flicked my eyes to her, she was reading porn too. I decided to tease her.

"Sounds like a good book, wanna read out loud?" I asked her, she ignored me. "Well, I do hope you're applying part of what you learn in there." She shut the book and leered at me. I raised my brows. She didn't know whether to scream at me or ignore, but she clearly was pissed.

"Just saying… You do have a boyfriend" I told her innocently.

"For your information, I'm not that kind of girl." She said. I decided to stop there. I rummaged through my messenger, I don't know if she went out or to the bathroom, but clearly she didn't want to give me the pleasure of seeing how it got to her. Soon enough I produced my opened bottle of Bailey's. Savoring it in my mouth I went out to the balcony and trekked up to the roof easily enough.

I reached the hand with the bottle first and heaved myself upwards, first one knee and then pulled myself up as gracefully as I could. There he was, good thing I didn't get up looking like a klutz or escaping jubie.

"Hey" I said as I dusted myself and walked over to him. He took a deep puff. "Unexpected to see you here" I said sarcastically and nudged him. He didn't say a thing. I opened my bottle and took my first swig. I sighed, this had been such a long, exhausting day. I had never spent a whole day at the mall with girls, sure it got crazy, but it was pretty amazing.

"I have a theory" I started talking, he didn't even look at me yet. I pretended that I was simply talking to myself. "Remy is using Rogue, He was bothered by her being the only girl that didn't look at him like that when he arrived and felt that he had to get her attention, and sometimes he doesn't really seem to care. I don't want to see her get hurt" I started talking, knowing he was listening, knowing he wouldn't respond. I didn't notice that a single tear rolled down my face until it reached my lip and I tasted salty. I really couldn't bear to think about her getting hurt, "with all the tough stuff that has happened in her life, she deserves for something good to happen." I realized I was talking and stopped again. I looked at him, he was concentrating hard on the distance, I don't know if he was even listening. I took another drink. I let the alcohol fill me up and the scent linger on my lips for a second longer. I let the silence set in, looking at the night with its rhythm and its noisy serenity.

I laid down on my back and tried to watch the stars, but there were only clouds trying to hide the moon and one lost star. Oh wait, it was a plane. I used to love sitting on soft, wet grass and watching the stars for the longest time. I closed my eyes and felt the breeze on my hair and skin.

"I know why you're angry" I dared to say boldly. This seemed to get his attention because he finally looked at me.

"No, you don't" he answered

"You didn't like me telling about the musicians," if possible, he looked more disappointed and a scowl reached his face. "You know what?" I said, without waiting for a response I kept talking.

"I'm sorry, I know I always send mixed signals, and guys hate me for that, the guys back home eventually realized that that's simply how I am, they took me for one of the guys. I've never really liked a guy… I just like having fun. I don't know why I am so stupid, so childish and so naïve, I mean, I can never tell the difference between a guy that likes me for who I am or just looks at me as an object. And I've done so many wrong things in my past, things that I will always remember, whether I want to or not. I've never been able to realize a good thing until I've lost it, be it a friendship or anything else" I didn't know why I was pouring my thoughts so easily, I had never even said those things out loud. I had always bottled up inside, no matter what, never trusted anyone to say a thing. I wouldn't tell guys about my other guy troubles, and I didn't have a girlfriend. Maybe such a thing grabbed his attention, maybe it simply got him more pissed, either way, I decided that was enough.

"Fine, have it your way. Swell up with pride for all I care." I started to stand up. Had he any idea how difficult it was for me to open up? Hell, I don't even think I can tell Marie about my real love life because she would resent me, with her no touch thing and fear and all that. I pushed myself from my laying down position and sat down. "I'm sorry" I said again. I stood up. If he only knew… for some reason, I felt that here people wouldn't judge me as they did back home, I felt that things would change. And they have: now I have friends who are girls, now people know about her powers, now I had a past behind me and not a present, still attractive, still a tease, but somehow there had been positive changes all around. I stood up to leave.

"Mierda" I cursed silently when I noticed another two tears stream down my face, I quickly removed them again and took a final sip of my bottle before closing it and starting down again. I never once looked back, was he shocked, was he awed, was he trying to understand, I will never know. I sat on the right spot, ready to jump down to our balcony. For some reason, I waited a second. Nothing.

I lifted myself down. I opened the door and slided in quietly, Kitty was all curled up in her comforter sleeping, Marie was trying to finish the schoolwork she hadn't had the time to do because of our day out. I smiled at her and moved towards my bed, I pulled out my newest nonfiction book that I was reading and started on it. It was actually a quite interesting work about the female role in the fight for independence of all the countries in America.

I read silently, without watching the time go by. Eventually a yawn from Marie got my attention and I looked at her.

"Good night, Alice" she said. I looked at her, looking over my book and to her side of the bed. She was barely awake.

I looked at her smiling softly and noticed the ton of homework at the foot of her bed, for some reason she preferred to leave everything for the weekend instead of day to day. "Sweet dreams, sugah" I said softly as I watched her nuzzle up to her pillow and curl herself up.

"Don't stay up too long," she asked of me. I nodded slightly, already submerging myself in the world of my book. I kept reading, at a steady but slow pace. So much that you never imagined was possible and real people take the time and commitment to research so much to come up with something so powerful, so close to reality.

I must've drifted asleep, because when there was a tap on the door that woke up my book was slipping through my fingers. I placed a flashcard with a motivational phrase upon my current page and closed the book. The tapping kept going.

Pushing back the blanket and comforter, I got up and walked to the window. Only one person tapped on the window: Remy. And considering it was around three o'clock, this was not uncommon. I closed my eyes in between a yawn while I opened the sliding door and stepped outside. I turned to close it behind me, so the breeze nor cold would disturb my roommates. I opened my eyes to check that it was all allright.

"Que paso?" I asked as I was turning, as usual, Remy had a reason to be here, it wasn't just a dumb chitchat that brought him here. "Marie esta…" (What happened…. Marie is.) But I stopped. It wasn't Remy.

"Whoa, were you expecting somebody else?" he said mischeviously, I shook my head quickly. "Remy commonly comes late at night to pay visits to Marie, last time he had asked me something" I answered. I suddenly felt a shiver pass through me and noticed that I was wearing almost nothing: a wife beater that was very old and the same pants that barely reached my knee after I had rolled them up to avoid getting too hot.

"I thought about what you said" he started off. I tried not to feel uncomfortable, but it was not the same thing to face him after I had said all that. "And you're right: I was jealous" he told me. I held back any reaction to that phrase. "But not anymore" he continued. "You don't even remember their names do you?" he asked me. I nodded, I didn't even ask.

"And all of what you said…" he kept looking straight at me, and I was growing uncomfortable under his gaze. "It's true" he said. "I mean, you have been a tease and sending mixed signals to just about everybody in the place" he stated, not asked. I felt that I had to say something, anything. But the words didn't come to my mouth.

"Yeah…" that was the only thing I had been able to come up with. I wanted to say more, but I was lost for words and desperate to express myself.

"I want to know just how exactly you came up with that theory of yours" he asked me, I smiled. I was sort of relieved he wasn't asking me about my past. I leaned on the door and started talking.

"She's different when she's with him, and he's a powerful empathy, he could perfectly well be working his charm on her. I can't be affected my him because…" I stopped myself, saying I was an empathy too might make him feel expose. "I learned to see when he's trying to influence someone else" I ended. He was looking at me with an attentive look.

"Maybe she's just in love" he supplied. I rolled my eyes, it seemed unrealistic for her to fall in love so quickly, especially someone with her past.

"Maybe, maybe she isn't" I continued.

"Or… maybe you're jealous of her happiness" he provided, I snorted.

"With my luck with boys in the past years… I'm not jealous at all" I informed him.

"Then why do you think that?" he asked me. I shrugged. "Just a feeling" I supplied lazily.

"Well, okay, I'll judge myself and watch him too" he said. I smiled thankfully. "Sounds good"

He started to leave, the boys wing was in the other side. "John," I started to say. "What I said before…" I couldn't let him leave feeling sour about what I had said before.

"Don't worry about it, I understand" he supplied.

"Listen," I stopped him. He looked at me again with that intent gaze. "I had never told anybody that, and I meant every word" I said. He gave me a smug smile.

"I know" he said and came back closer to me. Just his warmth coming close to me filled me up, his scent was overpowering, he started flicking his lighter. "I'll always be watching you" he supplied again.

"Thanks" that was the only thing that came to mind to say. He was so close I could feel his very warm body, and his chest come closer to me with every breath. I felt that something could happen, but I didn't want to ruin our new found friendship

"You're welcome," he breathed into my ear and made to leave. I looked at him, trying to keep a straight face. I didn't want to kiss him, I wanted him to kiss me. I could feel that he wanted to kiss me.

"Alice," he started. I didn't want to hear him anymore. I was about to ravage his mouth with mine. But I held back.

"Pyro" I said back. He rolled his eyes. "John" I replied, he smiled, not smug nor uncomfortable, just a smile. He was about to lean towards me again. I bit my lower lip, just to tempt him more.

"Tease" he said to me. I rolled my eyes, though it was true. He made to leave again. I bit my lower lip again. He continued to leave. That's when it hit me: I was too into my emotions to feel his, he was teasing me too! Sure, he wanted it, but he was just testing me.

"I know what you're doing!" I said loudly but not too loudly as he left. He didn't answer right away. "Off course you do" he said as he was about to climb over the roof. He said nothing else. I rubbed my arms to make the cold leave me, besides, the absence of his flame and warmth or whatever had kept me warm for a while. I went in, thinking that it was about time to try and sleep anyways.

Once inside I reached my bed quickly, too tired to try and so something about the uneasiness below my belly. I was so sleeping in tomorrow.

* * *

Pretty please review? I'd love a review... even taking in flames as of last chappie. 


	11. A few secrets spilled

Heads up! This chapter is long, complex, and very "entertaining" with just one spanish line, don't you just love my ability to express myself in english? Anyways, to any lonesome readers that have bothered with this, thanks.

ISIA Loves Reviews...

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: only Alice is mine... and a very good description along the way. ;)

* * *

CH 11

"She sleeps like the dead." I heard a voice nearby comment. I ignored it, as I had ignored everybody else throughout the morning, Marie tried to wake me twice and I didn't move. I sensed that there was a crowd around me.

"Is she feeling sick?" I rolled my eyes behind my lids, Can't a person sleep in?

"She does look sick" I recognized that voice, that male voice! The hell that I was gonna react now… I wondered what time it was, but resisted moving to check it.

"How does a person sleep until one in the afternoon?" Thank you, Kitty! I thought in my sleep.

"It's called sleeping in" Rogue's voice finally interrupted the rest of them. "Let's go outside, let her sleep" I listened attentively as four pairs of feet shuffle out of our room: Kitty, Jubes, Warren and Rogue, the ones I heard talk. As soon as the door closed, I opened my eyes, staring boringly into the ceiling above me. I stretched my arms upwards, to the side, my lower back and my legs. I love sleeping in, though I rarely do it. I rubbed sleep out of my eyes as I sat up and threw of my covers completely, to make my bed after I showered. I stopped frozen. Someone was still in the room.

"Warren" I said, looking at him sternly.

"Alice" he replied with a grin. "One can only wonder why you slept in." he started to talk. I yawned.

"Come on," I replied. "I've been accumulating sleep hours for quite a while." I lied easily, though it was partially true.

"You know you can talk to me!" he offered. I smiled.

"Yeah, but can I shower first? I hate starting the day without a shower" He nodded. I reached to my closet for a tshirt, bra, thong and a workout pant. "I'll look for you later?" I offered as I reached the bathroom door.

"That'sokay, I'll stay around" he said and started snooping my bedside table. I let it be and carried on. I decided that the quick short cold shower was the best way to go.

I emerged ten minutes later ruffling my dripping hair dry. He checked his watch.

"You lasted ten minutes in there!" he stated, a bit shocked. I nodded.

"Yeah" I said.

"Ten minutes!" he exclaimed again.

"Yeah, a pee, a shower, brushed my teeth and combed, dressed too. Sounds appropriate" I replied boringly.

"Well, my mother takes two to three hours each day" he replied. I smiled knowingly,

"Bet she doesn't look her age" I replied, which caused him to give me a puzzled look. "My mum's just the same" I explained .

"Anyways, you wanted to talk to me?" I proposed as grabbed the covers to make my bed. He offered to help, I refused.

"Okay, look, about Friday…" he started. I stopped myself from sighing and made myself hear him out. "I know it seemed a bit out of place, and I completely turned it around by telling you what I knew about John" he started. "Still, I don't want it to affect our friendship" he supplied. I nodded as I punched my pillow to give it the proper shape.

"Warren, that's just the way I am, I love that you're being so mature about this, but you have to understand I don't promise to do the same" I said. "I mean, kissing kinda comes lightly to me because of…" I stopped. He looked curiously at me waiting for me to keep talking. I blushed before saying what was next

"My friends have always been boys, and they've almost never looked at me like a real girl" I said, feeling disgusted after I said it. He laughed. I tried not to be nervous as I moved around stuff on my bedside table, stuff that he had disorganized.

"Well, can't think of a better way to get experience" I laughed a bit. Sure, that had managed for my kisses to get a certain fame, as well as my lightlessness about giving them away.

"Yeah" I concurred, still dying on the inside for even starting to say that. What was happening to me? My walls are caving in!

"Alice" he asked me. I turned, a fake smile gracing my lips slowly. "Don't get like that" I sighed, I couldn't help myself.

"I shouldn't have said that," I admitted. He came to sit by my side in a second.

"It's okay, I understand, really, you know I'd care for you no matter what you said to me" I still have to test that. I smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Warren!" I hugged him softly, he hugged me back, too. I relaxed myself slowly. To think that seconds ago I had been worried about how to tell him about last night with John, which he seemed very keen to know about.

"Sure" He said. He drew back. "So, will you tell me now why you slept in so long?" He asked. I bit my lip nervously.

"Okay, but you can't say a thing before I finish" He nodded.

"So, I went looking for him yesterday, until I found him on the roof having a smoke" I started.

"John smokes?" I looked sternly at him. He shut up.

"I started talking and he ignored me, clearly he was pissed but I pretended not to notice. Until it became unbearable and I addressed that I knew why he was mad. After that I went into a useless rant about how I was a stupid naïve person as far as relationships go and I was sorry for sending mixed signals, something along those lines. When I talked as much I needed to talk, he didn't respond. A bit hurt, I mean, I told him stuff that I had never even told anyone before. Never even considered saying out loud before." I sighed, realizing that I had trusted him when maybe I shouldn't have.

"Anyways, I went away and got to reading a book. It must've been around four when he tapped on the window and I was very drowsily trying to keep reading, or fell asleep with the book in my hands, not quite sure" I smiled. "Anyways, he told me he had been jealous, but not anymore. And he mentioned that everything I had said was very honest, I had to agree." I stopped there, omitting the part where I wanted to kiss him deliberately.

"Is that all?" Warren knew, damn him for being able to read me.

"Well, he got close to me and I thought he was going to kiss me. But he was just testing me. Giving me a bit of my own medicine" I couldn't help snorting on how that seemed. He laughed.

"Well, I have to give him credit for doing so" he said. I rolled my eyes.

"I thought you were on my side!" I said in mock hurt.

"Hell no, I'm not my side" he replied. I eyed him. "I just want to make sure nobody gets hurt." He explained. I nodded.

"I understand, you're just a big worrier" I teased.

"I wouldn't have to worry if you two weren't so explosive" he replied.

"I'm not explosive!" I said, defending myself.

"Right, then you're just a walking time.-bomb" he replied.

"Depends in which sense of a time-bomb" I replied naughtily.

"That sense precisely!" he retorted. I flirtatiously smiled and bit a finger.

"You're wings are so awesome," for like the fiftieth time I had become enthranced my them. I snapped out of it quick.

"Nobody's ever been so interested in my wings."

"Nobody's ever really appreciated you" was my comeback. He grimaced, but knew his parents never saw him the same way after his wings. "Even considering how special you are" I whispered, leaning in to caress a bunch of feathers.

"Alice, umm," He seemed lost for words all of a sudden. What now? "Can we make a promise that whatever we talk about we never mention to anyone else?" he asked me, looking a bit overheated. I stood back immediately.

"Sure, what is it?" I asked, whispering sultrily again.

"Don't do that again" he replied. I was a bit taken aback but didn't show it.

"What is it?" I asked again in my normal tone.

"I'm having a little bit of a problem right now" he stammered. I tried to find it.

"Lost a limb?" I said, cuz there was nothing visible that made me see trouble.

"Ha," he said, not appreciating my joke. That's when I noticed it. A huge swell right on his crotch. "Oh" I let out, noticing.

"I learned just the cure!" I exclaimed.

"Huh?" he said puzzled

"Remember all my friends back home are guys?" I said. "They had this problem all the time."

"Right, and that is helpful how?" he was clearly uncomfortable.

"Think of kiwis" I stated simply.

"What's a kiwi?" I couldn't believe it!

"An exotic fruit, quite tangy and good" I said. "Lemme see…"

"You're really going to do this?" he said. I shushed him.

"Dead puppies?" I proposed. He closed his eyes, but nothing happened.

"Mother Theresa?" He tried again, but nothing happened. I was running out of options.

"Naked John" I said. He opened his eyes quickly.

"I don't want that mental picture when I'm like this!" he said exasperated. I knew one last way…

"Fine, go out like that. Have the whole mansion talk about how I gave you a hard on" I told him.

"What do you suggest?" He asked me.

"Well, there is this one thing I've done once or twice…" Eight, actually. His eyes widened.

"You're not gonna give me a handjob, are you?" He asked. I shook my head. "Good," he sighed.

"Drop your pants, Warren" I told him. "I'm giving you a blowjob" His face seemed awed.

"What!?!?" he said. "Do it!" I replied quickly.

"Look, the faster we solve this the better. Now stop being so childish. You just said that whatever we talked about would never be known to another soul." He groaned, but did as I asked him too. I couldn't help my eyes growing wide at the huge thing in front of me.

"Like what you see?" He asked. I looked at him. "This is a one time thing" I said as I got on my knees.

"Who knows, maybe this'll happen ag…" He said slowly. I placed my lips at the tip of his penus and kissed it softly. My tongue emerged slowly to his tip and pulled back, after a few times, it let my tongue to wonder the whole length above it, sideways and under it. He groaned. That inspired me and I opened my mouth wide to suck on the outer portion. I knew I could go all the way, but I wanted to take it slow. He groaned again. My tongue kept doing swirls around his penus as he got a bit harder. My tongue tried to go past my lips and exit again, off course this time it was more complicated, but once the rest of his member was soaked in saliva I took it all in. This time he groaned very loudly. I started sucking with my whole mouth through all his length. I bobbed my head as if it were a huge lollipop and squeezed him encouragingly with my tongue under his member and my cheeks pulling him further inside me. I continued my ministrations and heard him let out pleasured moans every so often. I knew he was close. I pulled out slowly until just my puckered lips were on him, just to bring him in very fast again. He moaned very hardly. I bit down just a little at the base of his penus and readied myself. One last meaningful suck and his semen sprouted to the back of my mouth. I was ready and swallowed quickly.

He gave an involuntary jolt and his erection was gone. He was still catching his breath as I rummaged for gum in my drawer.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you" I said, he was still leaning back on my bed.

"No, I'm sorry." He replied. "If anything I should thank you." I looked away.

"Don't think about it" I replied. "That's what friends are for" I smiled. He had put his boxers and pants back on.

"So, what's next regarding John?" I was glad he was taking this lightly. I did.

"Dunno, right now I'm hungry" I said.

"The workout brought out your appetite?" He asked mischeviously.

"I haven't eaten anything all day, Warren. And it's almost four!" I replied. "Come on, let's leave." I said, making to the door and opening it for him to pass.

"I heard there were hot dogs…" He trying to annoy me.

"Hmm, sounds good" I replied, knowing full well what he meant.

"Maybe…" He started.

"Remember what I asked you?" He tried to remember.

"Don't _think_ about it" I said, pointedly.

"OH, right…" he realized that there was more than one telepath in this mansion.

Soon enough we reached the kitchen. John was there. I smiled at him and saw Warren go to him while I rummaged for something to eat. Finding nothing to my pleasure I settled on a glass of milk. I walked over to them.

"I thought you said you were hungry" Warren mentioned.

"That was before I saw what was in the fridge" I replied and took a large sip.

"Got up late, didn't ya?" John said. I rolled my eyes.

"I wonder why…" I said looking innocently at him. "Something kept me up… what was it…" I pretended to try and remember.

"OH, I remember. Someone was a little too proud and woke me up at four thirty in the morning." I stated blankly. John looked from me to Warren and back again.

"You don't have to go public about it." he snapped.

"It's just Warren" I answered back. "Besides, it's not like anything happened" I pointed out.

"True" He said, trying to think of a good comeback.

"Settled then, you'll have to bear with me trusting Warren" I said. "Because I know you're just as buddy buddy with him. "

"Fine, whatever" he scoffed. "Did you sleep well, at least?" he asked me.

"No, I tossed and turned not able to go to sleep. I finally decided that I would have to take care of a few problems myself and was finally eased into sleep." I replied bluntly. Good thing neither was eating anything, they would've choked.

"Excuse me?" John said. I sipped my milk.

"You heard me. Or did you not get it? Should I be more explicit?" I asked above a whisper.

"No, I understood you just fine" John replied, his eyes still popping.

"So, might I ask what you were talking about?" Warren cut in. I thanked him with a small look at him.

"The LeBeau and Rogue theory" John said quickly, oops, might've forgotten to mention that to Warren.

"Haven't told you about it yet," I told him. "But," I looked around. "I think Remy is using Marie" I said softly.

John filled him in on the rest of the details and how we were to be observant towards them and everything.

"It kinda makes sense," Warren proposed. "She's impossible to talk to when he's around, maybe it's not just _her_ infatuation" I nodded eagerly. I couldn't wait to bring down the Cajun.

"Alice" A gruff voice called me across the room. I turned and saw Logan with his arms crossed across his chest.

"I'll be right back" I told the guys. I stood and went towards where he was.

"You know where Rogue is?" I shook my head. He sniffed. Oh oh…

"I can go find her for you if you need her…" I started to talk. He shushed me. He brushed me aside and walked over to John and Warren. Mierda, mierda, mierda.

"I'm sure she said something about homework! She's probably in the library!" I tried to grab his attention. Gee, if only someone would fart.

"She mentioned something about not being able to study with the Cajun being there" I said, he looked at me.

"Right now, there's something else I'm worried about" he said, he was about to reach them both. They kept looking at me as if I was crazy to try to stand up to Logan like that.

"Logan!" I asked. He looked sternly at me.

"I'm of age, whether I smoked or drank is really no one's business!" I told him. "You can check my baq, it's all in there" He had to listen to me then.

"What?" He looked at me. I hung my head.

"I've been drinking on the roof" I confessed.

"You're grounded. No grounds privileges, Danger room with me every morning and every afternoon. And you better produce that bottle in half an hour in my office." He said sternly to me.

"And you two" he looked at Warren and John that just looked puzzled between us, though I saw that Warren's puzzlement was fake. "Don't know which one did it, but you've got a lot to thank Alice for" he said. I bit my lip realizing that he was about to blow it.

"Didn't I tell you to bring everything to my office?" He snapped at me. Both of them rose to stand against him, both taller, but neither one intimidating.

"I'm going!" I exclaimed.

"I'm coming with you" John said. I agreed half heartedly.

I felt Logan's eyes on my back the whole way up. He knew it was Warren, but I was glad he kept quiet.

Once out of earshot and his view I grabbed John's wrist.

"John, I need your cigarettes" I told him. "I'll get you a new carton" I said. He seemed pained but agreed.

"You should've have done that, Al" he told me. I knew I had to.

"Maybe, but I have no idea what the hell he had sniffed and was about to ground you too" Yeah right, I know exactly what he was picking up on.

"Fine." I followed him to his room. But stood in the doorway, until he opened to prove that Piotr wasn't there. I went in. He went to his hiding spot and produced a less than half filled carton of cigarettes. I smiled. Taking a couple and giving them to him and taking another one to hide in my bra, couldn't think of a better place.

"He's not gonna buy that I'll willingly give him everything" I explained.

"Sure" He slumped on his bed and pulled out his physics book from his bag. I smiled. "Thanks, John" I said.

"Whatever you need, Al" he replied. I leaned into him just a bit.

"Anything?" I said softly. He pinched my arm. "Anything" I slapped his butt and went to leave. He had not seen that coming.

"Ouch!" He said once he realized what I'd done.

"Poor baby" I called from the doorway on my way out.

Walking to my room quickly I took the nearly empty bottle and placed the other one in a better hiding place. I was ready to walk into his office.

I left my room hurriedly and almost bumped into Warren.

"John must've been puzzled." He said sneakily.

"I invented something up" I said to him."Don't worry, guapo" I told him.

"See, I don't know what you said!" I laughed and walked away.

"You'll have to learn!" I called to him as I went to the elevator to Wolverine's office, or rather the garage.

He was waiting. I didn't dare not show up being scared, I took a few deep breaths before going in. He looked up from some paper work and motioned for me to put everything on the table.

"Ugh, light cigarettes" He said. "I can't have that" He said and started to break each of them in two. He then watched the bottle of Bailey's keenly. He opened and sniffed it.

"This stuff is expensive" He said.

"Came from my own money" I replied.

"Wouldn't happen to remember the name of the poor chap that sold this to an underage?" he replied. I knew he said that just to piss me and I didn't give him the pleasure. He took a long drink.

"You're almost out" he commented. I tried to keep a straight face. "Yes"

"Well, it would be a waste to throw this away" he said and left it at the corner to consume later. I knew he was just trying to tick me off before asking why I did it and that I would be so pissed that I'd spill easily.

"Funny, you use the exact same brand and type of cigarette as John" he commented. I hadn't seen that coming.

"Coincidence" I said quickly trying not to sound like I was lying.

"Sure" He said. He finally looked at me. "You still have a cigarette on you" He told me. I closed my eyes as I sighed. I knew he'd notice. I slowly reached up to my shirt and down through it. I produced the last stick. He broke it in half again unceremoniously.

"Now" he kinda growled. I readied myself for anything. "I'll be seeing you at four in the morning and five at night. That's final." I didn't even try to protest.

"You will tell me who it was. Even if I know" he said.

"Warren" I said, giving up. He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.

"You're playing dangerous territory" he said. I stayed expressionless.

"I know what I'm doing" I said shortly. He snorted.

"Say you do… do you think they do?" he asked. I didn't know what he meant. "You're mature, I know you are, but John is still just a kid and Warren might be older, but he's not really sexually matured." He said bluntly. I refused to give him the pleasure of snapping or yelling…. I kept that thought in my head.

"If you're so worldly about sex, how many times have you done it?" I couldn't believe he was twisting the conversation so low.

"Four times, never the same person" I lied easily. He didn't expect me to answer that. "Without counting handjobs, blowjobs nor oral sex" I continued.

"Fine" he growled.

"I know how a boys mind works; I've been around them all my life. They just haven't met the real me, when they do, they won't be attracted at all" I said cryptically.

"Why? Because your best friend died?" He propositioned. I was shocked. "Because you're family thinks your nothing more than an excelled scholar?"I started to turn pale. "Because everyone around you has a different image of you that makes you so deceptive and misleading?" I was white by then. I mean, I should have known that Xavier was going to tell the staff about my past, but I didn't expect that last one.

"I am not deceptive," was the only coherent thought I could come up with. "I'm just unable to act the right way around boys" I said lamely, hoping he'd let me leave sometime soon.

"If you're gonna act like an adult, don't do it halfway" he said. I felt that this was over. "Dismissed. And I'll be expecting the other bottle of this thing first thing tomorrow" he said taking another swig just to torture me. I smiled forcedly and walked away.

Now all I wanted to do again was just sleep.

But, some people had a different plan for me. I was getting into the elevator when it wouldn't close. I budged it continually but it wouldn't book. I gave up and went out to take the quicker way through the stairs. I could've sworn I heard footsteps. Ignoring it I went along.

I was just opening the door when I heard shushing, somebody wasn't trying so hard. I saw them.

"Hmmm." I made a sound, they kept quiet trying not to be sensed. I concentrated on the both of them hiding, this was plain easy. I moved quickly about and saw them, a small mischevious smile went to my lips.

"Who are you hiding from?" Both were so shocked they crashed with each other and tried not to fall. I smiled watching between them. They eventually finished laughing.

"So…" John started. I looked wonderingly at him. "When were you planning on telling us that your best friend died?" I closed my eyes and tried, in vain, to close my ears.

"Who does he think he is to talk to you about stuff like that? I mean, a teacher asking you about sex… even if it is Logan" Warren commented. I thought of anything to respond. I felt weak and exposed all of a sudden. I didn't know what to say. I tried to form a coherent thought but nothing came to mind. I sensed that my sight would only worsen things by seeing their expressions.

"I thought you said that you were a virgin" was the next thing that John said. I pressed by middle finger and thumb to the bridge of my neck.

"Allie?" Warren said. I didn't even trust my voice to not choke when I tried to speak. I froze them again. I moved slowly, one hand moved to cover my mouth and the other clenched towards the wall, I let myself slump down besides it and felt the hot tears escaping my eyes. I tried to hold back, I tried to not cry. But the way they were looking at me… especially John.

I couldn't hold on any longer and felt a sob escape my lips. I knew I had broken it. Tears flowed freely as I tried to be silent. They came close to me. I still couldn't address them.

"It's okay, we all have our secrets" Warren said, he had my shoulder in his hand but I kept trying to turn away from both of them. "Allie," he tried again. "You remember what I told you?" I barely shook my head enough to avoid not looking at them. "We got there when he started talking about the dangerous territory" he said softly. "We're sorry if you didn't want us to over hear, we were just concerned." I tried to stop crying and started cleaning my face with my palms. I relaxed and sat down facing forward, though my eyes were closed again. Clenched shut. I felt one of them trying to hold down my hands. I resisted.

"Look at me, Al" It was John talking. That made me cry even harder. I didn't want to face him. I couldn't believe I didn't have enough sense to crumble apart elsewhere. "Please" he asked of me. I opened my eyes slowly. His hands were closed around my wrist, ignoring my fists. I finally saw clearly, but I didn't want to look still.

"Now breathe" Warren was hunched besides him and was staring at me concerned. I inhaled deeply, then let it out slowly.

"Gracias" I spoke clearly, trying to not sob nor choke. John was still holding me. Warren sat besides me and placed an arm and a wing behind me as best he could.

"Oh, Alice, we're not going back to you pretending not to know English, are we?" he said recalling my first week here. I chuckled, or tried to. I stopped clenching my arms and hands. John released my wrists but tried to hold my hand. He still hadn't said anything yet.

"Relax, Allie, It's okay to be sad" he said.

"I'm not sad" I replied. "I'm…" frightened? Weak? Bogus? Distant? Lunatic? A failure? Pathological liar? Scared? Nothing seemed right. "I'm such a heartless bitch" was the only thing I said.

"You're not" Warren said quickly.

"I Am" I replied. I tried to be able to speak coherently. "I shouldn't hide my past, shouldn't lie to you guys, shouldn't mess with you like I do, I'm such a bad person…" I couldn't help talking.

"It's okay, sometimes we like our present much more than our past" Warren comforted me.

"You told me what I was getting involved with" John said, he didn't seem all to happy about this.

"I'm such a liar…" I carried on.

"oh, but such a sexy one" Warren tried to make me happy again. I rolled my eyes. "Yeah," no use lying.

"I lied to Logan too" I said. My voice was starting to come out clearer. "I don't smoke, Warren. I don't pretend to know what you guys think. I don't sleep around, John" I said. They both looked at me misbelievingly as for that last part.

"I've only had sex once, not with Stan" I said. They both realized I was being sincere, but still got a puzzled look on their faces. "Stan was my best friend, the closest thing I ever had to a boyfriend" I confided. "He was my confident, my stress reliever, my bootycall, my friend." I said. "I miss him so much, to think that I hadn't thought of him since I came here." I realized maybe if I thought of him. "All the girls I knew were head over heels from him"

"He died two years ago, when I was seventeen, he had just turned nineteen" I told them. They listened. "You would've liked him" I told them. "Bold as me"

"It's okay to remember" Warren pointed out and let his hand drift from my shoulder to my midarm and squeezed me, "I still care for you" He said above a whisper.

"Sounds like a great guy" John commented. I smiled. "He was" I knew he was trying to be sympathetic.

I could've stayed there with memories of my days with Stan, our make out sessions, our spiritual meditations, our eternal talks. But my stomach had other plans. It let out an undignified groan. I took a hand to my stomach, damn you.

"Come on, let's go see if there's anything good for dinner" Warren stood up and tugged me along. John stood too.

* * *

Pretty please review? 


	12. Opening up

Disclaimer: i have not owned anything, do not own anything and will not own anything. clear? i am not making money with this, but if i got the people behind my inspiration interested, i am pretty sure they would make more money, not me, never me.

Ch 12

* * *

Food was exactly what I needed, after rummaging in the fridge with them for a while, I came across exactly the food I needed. A small pack of veggies, probably no one's specifically anyways, was hidden at the very back. A few minutes later I had them steamed, my mouth watering.

"You are seriously going to eat that?" John asked me. I shrugged. I still felt kinda weak… and they insisted on helping me on the kitchen. I just wanted to roll underneath my bed and sleep, but I needed to eat, I just knew it. I heard a mumble that sounded a lot like rabbit food. I looked at him, trying to stare at him displeased, but my puffy red eyes got in the way. All I got was another tear.

"Hey, relax, you'll feel better once you eat. Do you want to watch your favorite movie?" Warren offered. I gave a half smiled after wiping the salty line on my cheek.

"Sure," I said. During a danger session he had asked me that, but I doubted he remembered it. Soon enough my veggies were done. John got me a plate, Warren was making some popcorn to go with the movie for them. I rolled my eyes.

"I don't remember… was it Rose Red or Fly Away Home?" he asked me. Actually, it was both.

"Well, do you guys want a scary movie or a family movie?" I asked. I knew they'd go for the scary one.

"I vote for scary!" John exclaimed at once. I smiled.

"Rose Red it is" I said. Warren grimaced a bit.

Carrying the food we went to the video room, the room I must admit, I have spent the least time since I have arrived. Well, omitting any staff bedroom, that is. I settled in the center of the couch with my veggies as Warren got the movie out and John sat closely besides me with the popcorn.

"Do you get scared a lot?" he asked me. I thought about it for a second.

"The first two or three times round yeah, but after that the unexpected factor isn't there so it's not so scary anymore. I remember the first time I saw it with Stan…" I trailed off. Part of me didn't want to say it, part of me wanted to stop being so secretive. "I practically severed his arm off at a point" I decided to share.

"Well, I do hope you don't care if I do likewise" Warren said as he sat down too. One wing spread towards the back of the couch while the other one dangled on the side. "Because I get really scared." He commented as he hit play.

I was so into the movie that I lost track of time until I felt Warren's grasp on my arm. I smiled to myself, but said nothing. My head was comfortably on John's shoulder and he had one arm around me, Warren looked like he might die of fright all wound into a ball and a hand reaching out to me.

"No, the house is not coming out of the screen to haunt you" I told him. He looked at me icily. I gave him a win – win smile and he calmed a bit.

I didn't notice that I had fallen asleep. Warren had already left… and the movie had ended. John was trying to wake me softly, too softly. I eased off his shoulder and went towards the other side of the couch.

"I'll watch the other movie" I kinda mumbled, for some reason I did not feel like going to my bed. It was much warmer in this room.

"You'll just fall asleep… again" he said to me. I closed my eyes, mentalizing myself to go back to my room right now. I opened them again, he was still sitting beside me.

"Fine, I'm getting up" I said as I got up. He followed suit. "Good night, John"

"What? That's it?" he said. I looked at him wondering what exactly it was that he wanted. "No kiss good night?" I rolled my eyes.

"No, no kiss goodnight. Go ask your roommate for one, if its absolutely necessary" I mocked him and left the room. I walked slowly to the hidden stairs that went to the girls wing and avoided yawning too much on my way there.

Once in the comfort of my bed, I realized I was no longer sleepy. I huffed and pushed the covers to the floor as I decided what to do. I took out my laptop and got online. Pulling out msn, I blocked my sisters and then went looking for some of the people I had not talked to for several months… since I came here.

Dreamingofflyingaway: hey, Al!

Alicia: hey

Dreamingofflyingaway: where are you? Haven't seen you in such a long, dms largo, time! (too long)

Alicia: si

Dreamingofflyingaway: how are classes doing?

Alicia: same as always, aburridas (boring)

Dreamingofflyingaway: aja… cuz Luis told me you dropped out, that you are no longer there.

This is the part where I roll my eyes. Yeah, I was bluffing about classes, classes around here are more interesting actually, and my teachers are so different. I am not bored. But I was not about to be stupid enough to tell her where I was.

Alicia: kristy, just because I dropped out does not mean I am not going to classes. I switched schools. I

Dreamingofflyingaway: which school are you in?

Alicia: Kline High,

Dreamingofflyingaway: where's that?

Alicia: Canada, my parents sent me to finish high school with my cousins, sounds like fun, eh?

Dreamingofflyingaway: wow! that's so lucky!

Alicia: yeah, making lots of new friends. (at least that wasn't a lie)

Dreamingofflyingaway: anyways, I g2g. srry.

Alicia: don't sweat it, ttyl.

With that, she went offline. It had been such a long time since I heard from Sabrina, she used to go to dance lessons with me, but quite a few years back. I quit because I got tired of always being on the second row.

With that, I logged out of msn and proceeded to check my email. There were some notifications, a few boring chains, an email from my friend from Ohio, another one from my Canadian cousins (yes, they are real) and one from Mom making sure I am okay.

After answering each one of them while beneath the covers, I snuggled on the covers and brought forth my current reading book. I must have dozed off with it in my hand, because next thing I know there are two girls shaking me awake. Funny, after not doing so when I slept in late, were quite adamant in waking me up in the middle of the night.

"ALICE!" If I had not been too sleepy I might have jumped in my bed. I looked around and saw Kitty and Jubes at my side. I rolled back on my bed and tried to sleep.

"Alice! Don't ignore us!" Kitty asked

"This is important!" Jubes said. I uncovered my eyes and looked at them, I couldn't pretend that I was not sleepy.

"Yeah, what's up?" I said,

"Um, Rogue was asking for you" she told me.

"Yeah?" I said again.

"She locked herself in the bathroom, and she said she didn't want to talk to anyone, we were kinda hoping that maybe you would be able to talk to her." I exposed my entire head and pretended to rub sleep accumulated in my eyes.

"I'll be right there" I said to them. They cocked an eyebrow for me to get up. I looked from one to the other. Okay, so be it. I pushed off my sheets showing them a pair of skimpy bottoms and nothing else. I walked towards the dresser ignoring their gaping mouths.

"Oh, we'll be just outside then." Kitty said and pulled Jubes with her.

"I'm sorry, I got to reading and was going to put on some clothes before falling asleep." Kitty was already left the room while Jubes stared at me.

"Chica, you ain't got nothing to hide" Jubes said. I ignored the feeling that that comment ensued and pulled a t shirt over my head , followed quickly with a pair of decent shorts, not my underwear. Jubes was standing by the door with it open by the time I looked at her again.

"Whoa, that was fast, chica" Jubes told me.

"No time for underwear" I said, I did not bother to put on a bra.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"Down in the locker room," Kitty said.

"You gonna phase me there?" I asked. She took my hand quickly and lowered me to the basement. Who would have thought that the X-Jet was just beneath our rooms? She let go and I went towards the front where Cerebro and the DR were. Soon enough, I was just outside the locker room. Gambit was there.

"Gambito" I said to him. He looked over at me.

"Voila, they called toi."

"Oui, c'est une problem?" I asked back, he said nothing, (is that a problem)

"If I may" I asked and passed through him.

I entered, still not finding her right away. After looking at each side, I decided to check out the shower rooms. She was crumbled on the floor, I was not sure how much was tears and how much was water.

"Marie" I said as I came near her.

"I didn't mean to… I didn't mean to touch him" she said. I took her softly and let her weep on my shoulder. She still looked in bad shape, but she had already done most of the crying she needed to.

"Shh," I told her as she let a few more tears stroll down her wet face. "Feel like some ice cream?" I offered her. She shook her head. " A drink or a smoke?" I offered her again.

"I'm eighteen, Alice" she told me.

"So am I" I told her.

"You're impossible" she resented me. I smiled.

bv0063,mbvcx

"Am not" I responded quite maturely. She cracked a smile at that, but a few tears continued to fall. I pulled my arms around her fearlessly and tried to sooth her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked. She nodded.

"Let's go to our room" she asked. I accepted. "Who is out there?" In a second, I paused the people out there and peeped out

"Rem, Jubes, Kit, Storm" I said. She shook her head.

"Don't wanna talk to him" she said softly. Without pushing the issues, I let her through and kept them frozen for as long as necessary until Marie was out of view. Once we were getting in the elevator, I unfroze them and she let out another sob.

"He still has such hate towards me" she said. I looked at heart with my heart breaking alongside hers.

"Who?" I asked softly.

"John." Oh, shit. Did I really want to have to deal with her talking so bad about the guy that was probably going to end up even worse after going through me?

"Marie, I am sure that nothing tells you more about a person more than them being unable to get past something as old as that, please, don't let it get to you" I try to sooth, her she is trying to keep a straight face.

"What?" she asked, either she was still in distress, or I talked too fast.

"He is stupid for not realizing the past is in the past" I tell her sincerely, she nods.

"Oh" she says.

"So… you gonna tell me what he thinks about me?" I nudged her as we entered out room.

"You're impossible" she told me as we plopped on her bed. I was pretty sure that Kitty would not be coming here in a while, so I came closer to her and sat cross legged as I placed her head on my thigh, ready to hear everything she had to say.

"Actually, I only got bits and bits" she commenced. I listened. "I saw him taking on Bobby… I got a glimpse of his childhood, I had seen it before, it was him at his birthday… I saw him with Mystique, trying to understand Magneto's thinking, then there was an image of when Mystique was stripped of her powers, and they left her… I saw how unbearable the focus of Cerebro was for him, and he was all alone during it… I saw him jealous of Bobby and me" I snorted at this last part.

"But you went and got yourself someone better than either of them. You found Remy" I could not believe the words that had just come out of my mouth. "They are both still so inmature, we should not let either get the better of us" she nodded. I started to stroke her hair, something I was so used to doing when one of my little sisters was feeling low. "You found someone who is not scared of you" I shared

"I also saw how he felt when I drained him the last time, at Bobby's parent's house" she shared. She had told me about that day, not so far back, and I knew that nothing had ever been so difficult for her as having to chose to stop him.

"And what did he feel?" I wondered if my question was improper for about two seconds.

"He thought something was wrong, that the fire was not responding to him, but then he started to feel dizzy, then as he felt something missing he thought he was going to die, he looked at his hand puzzled, and then looked down at me as I was pulling my hand away from him. He could not believe I had stopped him" she paused and looked staright at the room I could tell that she was deep in thought. "But, really, who does he think he is? "You know those mutants you hear bout in the news, well, I am the worst one" He said that to the cops. As if we were not in enough of a situation as it was." She was now beyond sad, she was angered and quite pissed. I tried to keep a straight face during her moment.

"But what I saw last is what confused me the most" she said. She was looking straight at me. I moved my hair away from my face as I looked down at her.

"I saw him with you, he was comforting you about something and wishing it was just you two." I was shocked, since when did he like being alone with me?

"I was meaning to tell, I've just…. Well, anyways, something kinda happened last morning." She raised an eyebrow at me.

"And somebody sniffed it" I emphasized the sniffed part.

"Logan?" she asked me. I nodded.

"So… He could smell that I had done this thing and then was about to tell it to Warren and John, so I kinda told him that I smoked and drank on the roof at night, so he would not get them in trouble. Anyways took away my bottle and I asked John for a few of his cigarettesMM1 ," I paused after this. "In the end, Logan was verbally attacking me and when I got out John and Warren were there waiting for me, I don't know if it was the fact that they overheard my conversation with Logan or the fact that I feel terrible about them learning about Stan…" I said, trying to be as discreet and simply as possibly.

"Stan was my best friend, the closest thing to a boyfriend I ever had, he died" I told her.

"Honey, I am so sorry, how along ago was this?" she asked me.

"About a year and a half ago, I said, unwillingly, because I did not want to start crying over him again. "But lets not talk about that." She looked at me curiously, noticed that I did not like where this conversation was headed at all, she let it go, but I was sure it would come up sooner or later. She smiled softly to me, knowingly.

"Well, I pushed him back already" she told me. "I think that sharing what I saw and felt from his touch effectively allowed me to get through it faster." She told me. I smiled, genuinely.

"Then you make sure you look for me, instead of letting it get the better of you" I told her. I ghosted my hand over her forehead, unafraid. I could feel the hairs on her react to my plam lightly grazing them, like the tip of a very tall grass that I was barely passing over. She did not say anything, she feel it but did not feel it at the same time. I smiled. Not even Remy would dare to touch her like I do.

"Remy says that I should be the one teaching you control" I laughed.

"Remy says?" she asked. I nodded, letting my hand go deep into her hair before deftly pulling my hand away forming strands to begin a braid with. I braided her hair as she closed her eyes and started to drift off to sleep. Touching someone was always so draining to her, I had only been around for a past accident that she had with Logan recently, but she is already so accustomed to his rage that she did not do handle it as badly as today.

"Mhm, Remy says" I said. For a moment I stopped doubting Remy, but I however have this feeling that he is not always and mostly never entirely truthful. Maybe it is because of a shady past, maybe that is just his way with people.

* * *

please review!!


	13. Kiden Nixon

haha, so I'm reading about Wolverine for the upcoming movie, clik a link to X23, and then comes this mutant anesm Kiden Nixon. Fun!

Check this out: .com/universe/Nixon%2C_Kiden

ñ

Turns out the power I thought was quite original already existed. bummer. Oh well, Alice's past is still mine, if her power is not. Thought it might be fun to tell anyone still reading this, because no one is.

Oh, and btw, I am working on a new chapter. It has flashbacks and Romy!

Sorry you thought this was a new chapter


End file.
